by Jamar Wright – Mind Food International
[KINGSTON, Jamaica] – On the 10th of April 1912, the Titanic, the largest ship afloat at the time, set sail from Southampton England on her maiden voyage to New York City. The White Star Liner had spared no expense in assuring her luxury a legend before she sailed. She was touted as the safest ship ever built. But on the night of April 14, 1912, just four days into the journey, the unsinkable ship struck an iceberg. The collision was fatal, and 1500 people perished that night. An iceberg, a large floating mass of ice is one of nature’s most hazardous phenomena.
Experts will tell you that the vast majority of an iceberg is hidden beneath the water and that is where the danger lurks. What is true of an iceberg is also true about leadership and people. The unseen part of leadership (a leader’s mindset and philosophy towards people) is identical to the mass of an iceberg that is hidden from the public’s eye. Yet that is where most of leadership takes place. The way a leader manages the unseen part of leadership will impact the part of leadership that others see. If the unseen part of leadership is not handled properly and have the right idea and philosophies towards people, it will rip wide open the part of leadership that others see, and like the titanic, the leader and his organization will sink to the seafloor of life.
Strong Leadership
Every leader should be reminded that they are in the people business, and people should be treated like human beings, not slaves or numbers on their balance sheet. When leaders don’t have the right philosophies toward people, they treat others poorly. This creates an exodus, where many rising stars and current MVP’s leave an institution. The cost of such an exodus is usually high for institutions in the long run to re-hire competent team members. In his book “Leadership Gold”, John C Maxwell says people quit people, not companies.
Employees often leave companies not because they dislike the company or their job, but rather because they want to escape a particular person, usually their boss. In 2015 Gallup’s comprehensive study, the findings show: that 75% of people quit their job to “get away from their manager at some point in their career. In other words, the number one reason people leave their jobs is because of bad leadership. People leave because they were not treated with respect, they felt as if they were not valuable. A team member may have a great job but will leave if he or she has a bad relationship with a leader that they believe cannot be repaired.
Type of attitude that makes a team member quit:
- Disrespectful – A leader who disrespects his or her team members will destroy a
competent team member’s self-confidence. These team members will become
demotivated and seek other opportunities elsewhere or in different departments. If the
leader continues being disrespectful, he or she will create a toxic environment which can
become hazardous to people’s health. A stressful and fearful environment can lead to
stroke, anxiety, and mental breakdowns - A leader who does not value others – A leader who doesn’t value others tend to be cynical
and put others down. These are the type of leaders that will suffocate great potential and
prevent others from rising to the top. Those who don’t value others have a twisted view
that everything revolves around them. They don’t see others as important, hence there are
little to no grow for others. These leaders operate like a lynch man. And if left unchecked
they will become tyrants. - Leaders who do not listen – Leaders who don’t listen to their team members demoralize
and kill creativity. This can lead to the stagnation of a department or an organization.
Because a team member feels he or she is not being heard they will stop working and do the
minimum task daily.
Purpose of Leadership
The purpose of leadership is to guide, develop, mentor, support and to encourage others. A leader who knows how valuable others, a leader who has compassion for people, a leader who puts the wellbeing of others first. These are leaders who build better and lasting institutions, team member become loyal to them, they have less turn over and they retain their most competent staff.
Leadership is about people; leadership is about developing others so they can reach their full potential. You should never be a leader if you don’t love people. Leaders are in the people business.
For Corporate Trainings, Leadership Events and Engagements, contact Mind Food International. Our goal is to “Develop Leaders to Transform the World Around Them”. Visit us at www.mindfoodinternational.com or email them at [email protected]
