This goes without saying, at least on the surface, the world looks a little bit like a sh** show at the moment. However, like every sh**t show, there is a silver lining if you look hard enough. It has been my experience that leaders go down two paths in times of crisis and either master the art of controlling or mastering the art of giving. My blog post two weeks ago, 6 signs you are a narcissistic leader, really focused on leaders who mastered the art of control. This blog post focuses on leaders who master the art of giving.
The idea of a leader who is a giver is termed many things in industry-speak, a servant leader, a compassionate leader, an authentic leader, but I prefer to say, a good leader. But how do you know? Swagger? Attitude? Team feedback? A concoction you put is a cauldron and say some magic words and poof? There she is, a giving leader. To save you from creating your concoction, below are 4 keyways, you know your leader mastered the art of giving. However, I would love to start a dialog by adding to the list in the comments section.
When a leader asks questions and elicits different perspectives, they give the team a chance to be heard.
When a leader shows compassion/empathy, they show respect.
When a leader provides autonomy in your job, they gift trust.
When a leader offers opportunities to give feedback to their leadership, they demonstrate vulnerability.