During my career, I have worked for many leaders. Some of them have been really good, and others have been not so good. So, what was the difference?
Well, there are numerous differences; however, one difference is how they handle the accomplishments and mistakes of their team. One of my bosses was a screamer. Whenever someone made a mistake, he would yell at everyone.
He was a taskmaster. He would volunteer the team for additional projects and push us to complete them ahead of schedule. As a result, our department was recognized several times by our senior leadership.
While the team didn’t like the screaming, they were excited to be recognized for their work. However, our boss didn’t believe in sharing credit.
During the awards ceremony, our boss would stand there with a big smile on his face as he would accept the award. When he gave his remarks, he would talk about how he motivated the team. He never acknowledged the work of the team.
Our boss took all of the credit for our work. Needless to say, his actions didn’t go over very well with the team. Eventually, several of the veteran team members decided they could no longer take the abuse. So, they set up a meeting with our boss’s boss.
Well, a week after the meeting, our boss transferred. The team was so excited they threw a party. Although I didn’t agree with their choices, I understood their frustration.
Yes, my boss was a problematic leader, however, I learned two vital lessons from my boss. First, yelling was not always the best way to motivate others. The second lesson I learned is to give credit to others.
Great leaders accept the blame and let others take the credit. Why? Because it is the leader’s responsibility to inspire and empower the team. How does giving credit help build your team?
- It demonstrates gratitude for the team and their work
- It motivates the team to go above and beyond
- It is contagious and will spread throughout the organization
Great leaders understand the value of serving the people they have the privilege to lead.
“Great leaders value progress over recognition.”
Jas Singh
Leaders understand leadership is giving.
As the leader, you set the conditions for success. Start by giving credit to others!
Are you sharing credit with others?
#YourLeadershipGuide
Kim
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