There is a reason you were not created to live in an island all by yourself. It's the same reason why barter trade emerged - John from the East Clan had something that Mary of the West Clan needed. John was willing to exchange it for something Mary had that he needed. We are designed to exist in interdependent relationships. My question to you, are you building relationship bridges as you prosper in your leadership position or are you burning the bridges?
Leadership is all about influence. It is the capacity to have an effect on someone's behaviour. It is much easier to do as your leader says if you believe in him to lead you. The African proverb, "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together" exemplifies the importance of building relationships. A leader who connects with his followers and wins over their trust builds a more sustainable business than one who goes it alone. You can accomplish a task fast by saving the time it takes to explain it. You can accomplish more if you spend the time to explain it once and allow the team to replicate the task as a team.
Connecting with people requires you to cultivate a genuine interest in them. Besides their academic credentials and work experience what else can you say about them? Which is their favorite dining joint? What did they find interesting in their holiday trip? What sport do they like? Are they movie fans or avid readers? You have to invest time to know more than just their post in your organisation. You also must be authentic about your interest in them. If your followers think that you are secretly interested in getting them to do something for you, then you will not connect with them. You cannot build a trust relationship on the foundation of suspicion. Be authentic!
People do not care how much you know unless they know how much you care. This could be as simple as saying hello in the morning and pausing at their desk for a moment to find out how their weekend was. Some bosses thrive on fear and intimidation. They walk into the office with their faces looking like they showered in lemon juice and make a beeline to their corner office. Even before they sit down, they bark their first orders of the day. "Where is the report? What time will it be ready? Where is my coffee?" They are constantly angry at something or someone. Everyone in the office scatters at their presence. You attract your kind - and very few people (if any at all) are attracted to self absorbed leaders who only care about themselves. You will be surprised at how efficiently the reports and your coffee will be on your desk if you invest time to connect with your people.
You and your human resources team have spent time and money to hire the right people for your organisation. You most likely offered them their positions because they were the right candidate for the job. If you want to get the best service out of their expertise, you have to treat them as valued connections. Listen to what they have to say, don't just dismiss them. Let them know that you value their input by taking their opinion into consideration. When you treat them as valued followers, you get more value out of their tenure.
Influencing people is not about coercion. It is not threatening people. It is not reasoning with facts. Influence is about connecting with people. If you are interested in leading yourself, use your head. But if you are interested in leading others, use your heart. Connect with people and influencing them will be walk in the park.
