Every action counts!

Leadership is a social process.  Martin M Chemers (1997) in his text ‘An Integrative Theory of Leadership’ defines leadership as…

“a process of social influence in which a person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task“

And we are social creatures.  We are wired to be tribal because without a tribe, as immature humans we are unable to access the essentials of survival:  food, water and shelter!  Being part of a tribe was central to our survival, so we non-consciously consider everything we do and see from a social perspective.

Central to that tribal belonging is trust and respect.  And a leader is the chief of the tribe, and needs the trust and the respect of the tribe for the tribe to function and thrive.

And trust takes time and effort to build, but sadly, is a slippery slope when it’s broken.

One breach of trust, can be catastrophic.  One bad moment on Facebook, one blow-out at the local soccer game on the weekend, or a misinterpreted comment in the elevator make an impact.

Our human tendency to focus on the negative means that all the good you may do can be broken very quickly by a reactive decision, or an emotional outburst, or a unfairly perceived decision.

Take your time.  Talk to your people more often and with focused attention. Remain calm and objective.  Consider every decision from other stakeholder perspectives and remember, you don’t know it all.  Every action counts!

As a leader you are ‘on’ 24/7 and, just like celebrities, must beware of the paparazzi as they may be lurking just being the next bush.

‘Be’ a leader, don’t just pretend between 9 and 5.

Have a nice day!

Michelle