How Visible Are Your Leaders?

For the month of July, on Monday’’s at lunch, my company has been running a professional development seminar where they invite leaders to come and share their story.  Storytelling is the new "it" factor when it comes to development.  Why?  Because people remember stories.  You can spit figures until you are blue in the face, but stories create connection.  If you embed your facts & figures into a story, the audience is more likely to remember them.

The Director of Manufacturing shared his personal story from his first day on the job until now.  He traced his success back to a few key areas:

• Work hard, because that is what the company is paying you for
• Volunteer for stretch assignments, even if they are outside your comfort zone
• Be visible
• Don’t be so anxious to run out the door at the end of the work day
• Invest in your people
• Ask questions
• Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, because that is where the learning takes place
• Be persistent – fight for what you want
• Be above reproach / lead by example

These are just a few of the things I picked up from the lunchtime meeting.  These principles support or rather can guide a new manager or anyone looking to be successful in their job or life.  Above all, be relational.  John Maxwell said, "People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care."  Care about your people, and they will go to the moon and back for you.