•The best leaders understand this vital rule: respect everyone.
•When leaders inspire the people around them; it helps a team’s performance.
Last month, I watched some episodes of the series titled, The Bold Type, on Netflix.
It is the story of three young New York professional women who work for a women’s magazine, Scarlet.
What struck me about the series was the leadership style of their boss, Jacqueline Carlyle (acted by Melora Hardin).
Her character encouraged, coached, mentored these young ladies to bring out the best in them. She gave her wisdom and strength to ensure their rise.
Her character showed how important it is for leaders to inspire the people around them; it helps a team’s performance.
I know it is a TV show, but Jacqueline’s strategies can work for you. Here are some of the principles that she applied to empower her team.
Believe in the vision: It is frustrating to follow a leader who lacks conviction. This is so because vision is energy and when the leader does not believe in the vision, the team’s morale is typically low. People are deflated when they know that their leader does not care about the vision. This was not the case with Jacqueline. She embodied Scarlet’s vision, and everyone saw it. Her belief played out in her daily work. She walked, talked, worked, taught, fought for, and sold the vision. Consequently, people were willing to go to battle for her. Team members were happy to make her proud because her belief powered their own – it gave them strength.
Teach with mistakes: In the series, Jacqueline embraced the fact that her team members would make mistakes and she turned every mistake into a teaching moment. This was vivid throughout the show because often someone would make a mistake and it would be brought to her attention. At which point, she would talk with the person and help them draw out vital lessons. Also, it is important to note that in the process of handling mistakes, she did not strip people of their dignity. The issue was addressed, but the person was not attacked or abused. It empowered her team.
Respect team members: Often, leaders are tempted to fall into the position trap. Here, they think that no one below them deserves respect; it is wrong thinking. Effective leaders understand that everyone deserves respect, position regardless – every team member is worthy of honour. Jacqueline communicated to everyone in her team that they had her respect – they knew they did. This empowered them to take on greater challenges. The best leaders understand this vital rule: respect everyone.
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