What Great Leaders Understand About Significance
Significance.
The irony is that we often overlook the importance of a word that literally means – the quality of being important.
For leaders, there’s power in a word like significance. It’s borderline magical. Once people on our teams feel significant, they become a new person, capable of doing more.
They regain the confidence they once had but have temporarily lost.
Whey they become confident; they lean into their full potential.
They transform into the absolute best version of themselves.
At its very core, leadership is simply about bringing out the best in others. The best leaders show their appreciation, recognize great attitude and effort, and encourage people every chance they get.
Leadership means inspiring the hearts and minds of other people to become the very best they can be.
In order for leaders to inspire both hearts and minds, making sure people feel significant should consistently remain at the top of our To Do List.
‘Managers’ focus first on the tasks at hand. However, ‘Leaders’ focus first on the people they expect to complete the tasks.
An O.C. Tanner Learning Group study recently revealed 79% of people who quit their jobs cite “lack of appreciation” as the reason for leaving. O.C. Tanner also found that nothing inspires employees to be their best quite like simple recognition from their leaders.
All people want to be noticed and known. When the boss notices us, we can all agree, it’s extra special.
Great leaders make sure everyone on the team understands their value, their strengths, and why they were chosen in the first place. Teaching necessary job skills, imparting wisdom, and transferring knowledge will help with inspiring the mind. However, the real culture change begins when employees genuinely feel in their hearts just how much they’re valued.
The best leaders take pride in making people feel significant because they know when people feel significant, they make significant contributions.
I’m convinced that IF people feel significant, they CAN do anything. Our job, as leaders, is to believe in them, encourage them, and invite them to be great.
They can and they will, just because of how significant we make them feel.
signIFiCANce.
Have a great day.
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I’ve compiled twenty years’ worth of leadership lessons, stories, and applications for how to lead with hospitality and why it makes a difference that matters for everyone in your life, at work, at home, and in your community.
