How leaders seek the best in others?

When you are a leader, you are working with people. How you view people would have the greatest leadership impact on your careers as a leader.

How you interact and motivate is an ongoing challenge. But leadership is a team sport. We all need one another to create great teams.

As a leader, what dialogue do have inside your head regarding the people you lead? Is it a bunch of complaints of what they are not doing? Or do you view your team in the best of light even when they fall short of expectations?

Here are some helpful suggestions that can shape a positive mind set about your team:

Assume the best in others. Everyone comes to work to do the very best they can do. No one wakes up in the morning looking to perform to the worst of their abilities. Assuming the best in others is about recognizing the talent available to you as a leader. Is everyone going to be an A player? Probably not. But that doesn’t mean everyone is a failure either.

You may not have the best of teams, but that’s why you got the job of a leader right? A leader takes people where they are, to where they could be.

Create an environment where failure is not the end of the world. People who learn that mistakes or failures are only temporary, are the ones who go on to do great things.  Leaders need to understand that anyone who has ever achieved anything of significance, made countless mistakes along the way.

Understand what makes them motivated. If you want to develop healthy working relationships, you need to humanize others by understanding their background, dreams, inspiration and challenges.

Recognize and applaud achievement. Acknowledge a person’s effort for a task; be specific in your praise. Rather than say “you’re doing great” say “you’re doing great because you took care of a customer that needed help with a reservations at our hotel tonight."

Serve their needs. You have to help others before you can ever expect that they will help you. Go the extra mile and do the unexpected for your team. Help them, praise them, and uplift them. Make sure they are part of your leadership agenda by incorporating “what makes them flourish” in shaping the “why” and “what” of your plans and approaches.

Assume the best intentions. Reinforce positive behaviors. Make sure our initiative delivers value. Complaining about others reduces your influence and turns you into a follower. Positive framing focuses on what can be done rather than who is to blame.