Younger millennials and Gen Z are changing the way we view work and workplace culture - I think for the better.
From the traditionalists' standpoint, it's standard belief that emotions don't belong in the workplace. How many times have we heard that only results matter, or to focus on data? Or that leaders "don't have time" to address concerns they feel aren't connected to the bottom line?
Productivity, data and results and data are definitely important- how would businesses thrive without a focus in these areas?
The mistake that so many leaders make, particularly those trained to lead in traditional ways of leading, is to discount how important people leadership is, and miss the connection between people leadership and the bottom line.
This article from theinc.com outlines eight ways a leaders behavior impacts the bottom line. Reading through the list, each of the 8 behaviors are people-focused, with a clear connection to business outcomes. How can we get leaders to make the shift from being focused too much on productivity to focusing on leading and inspiring people? Let's talk about it.
Whole Person Leadership
As much as we would like to believe that people can turn off everything they are- their beliefs, their experiences, their fears, their traumas- for eight hours or so a day and only focus on the company or team is unrealistic.
Everything we do is a product of our values and belief systems. We do not simply adopt a company's values on the wall simply because we earn a living there. Also, even as a training and development professional, I will say that simple training rarely (if ever) results in actual changed behavior. In addition to education and training (which are important still), we have to promote practical behavioral application for leaders, and connect these behaviors -both seen and unseen- to the success of their organization.
Giving an inspirational speech of the ability to say the right words alone is no longer what drives people- we can see through the insincerity when we notice a leader's behaviors and words do not align. The push for true authenticity from our bold and courageous millennials and Gen Z'ers is here- can leaders meet this challenge? If so, how?
The whole person leadership concept is about leaders learning to see their employees as humans- and not simply as a means to an end, a cog in the machine, or via profit margins and output. Through whole person leadership, a leader inspires desired behaviors and outcomes through an understanding of what drives their people- their beliefs, experiences, and perspectives. Whole person leadership also involves the leader showing up authentically and bringing their full self to their role. This builds trust, which is foundational to positive leader-employee relationships.
So, this all sounds great right- but how can a leader practically apply this information? Where do they start?
Ways Leaders Can Learn to Lead People
Here are some level 1 practical behaviors and skills leaders can focus on developing to embrace whole person leadership, stay competitive and on top of their leadership game. Master these, and you'll be light-years ahead of your peers:
Self-Awareness: The foundation of successful leadership, self-awareness allows leaders to hold themselves and others accountable in ways that are thoughtful, fair, and in alignment with the values of the organization. A basic understanding that others in the organization experience it much differently that you may is critical to effective decision-making and connecting with your employees. Learn the ability to step out of your perception to get a better understanding of your organizational needs.
Emotional management skills: The ups and downs of leadership are real. I know I tend to beat up on leadership a lot in my articles, but not all are raging sociopaths- many are just working with what they have and trying to do the best they can, in the best ways they know how. And- leading an organization is stressful! There are so many moving parts, and as a leader you may be accountable for a lot, which can weigh on you from time to time. That's our current normal, so no need to doubt yourself. Learn to take time to self-reflect and self-regulate your emotions. The cost of not doing so is impaired decision-making, damaged relations, among other negative impacts to your business. Spend time at the end of each day reflecting on what went well, and what you could do differently. Try thinking about situations or people from multiple perspectives and check your biases and assumptions before making decisions- especially those that will impact others.
Leading by example: Leaders have to model the behavior they wish to see in their teams, otherwise you risk confusing your staff, negatively impacting their trust and confidence in you and your leadership. I've worked for a company where a common mantra of leaders was to tell front line employees to "just figure things out"- but when it came to management, the expectation was to spell out things for them and not hold them accountable. Expecting your teams to behave and perform according to standards you don't even uphold is a fast way to lose respect and dedication, which can lead to quiet quitting and other ways to disengage- hurting your bottom line.
What are your thoughts? Do you think whole person leadership is the way to go? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
Hi! I'm Nicole, an organizational consultant and personal coach, who is passionate about inspiring the changes our society needs for all to thrive. Using lessons learned from my own experiences and challenges, I hope to help people within organizations by creating mentally, socially, and emotionally healthy workplaces for all. Check out the other resources on this site for more ways to do just that!
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