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Have you taken the pulse of your
company lately? Have you built
a company with a heart? Smart
leaders create an environment
in which they make themselves
available to their employees
and give them an opportunity to
seek advice, share concerns and
provide encouragement. These
same leaders model a non-
judgmental attitude that makes
them approachable.
As a leader in your organization,
do you know how to keep your
workforce engaged and happy?
I think that it is important to
engage in conversations with
your employees so that you know
moreabout their values, likes and
dislikes. Ask for honest feedback
about how they view their
relationships with management.
This type of relationship building
is likely to curb the rise of
employee disengagement and
keep them from walking out the
door. People like to know that
they matter and they will provide
better job performance in return.
As you already know, employees
are directly responsible for
the success of any company.
People are most content when
they have the opportunity
to learn and grow, and know
that management supports
their striving for improvement.
Employees want to be treated
with dignity and to have some
influence over their future. They
want to feel appreciated for
their contributions.
Let’s take a lesson from my
Great Dane therapy dog,
Beretta. In our book,
Leadership
Unleashed: A Great Dane’s
Wisdom for the Business World
,
we talk about the importance of
leading with your heart. When
Beretta visits a new location
for one of our workshops, he
takes his time and gets the lay
of the land. He uses his canine
senses to detect the mood of
those he encounters. With every
trip he makes to hospitals and
workplaces, he models respect
to everyone, regardless of their
position in the organization.
To him, there is no difference
between a member of the
management team and the
college interns.
When respect and compassion
are an intrinsic part of
the
workplace,
employee
performance improves. When
a leader makes fellow workers
feel valued and appreciated
for their contributions, you will
notice a significant and positive
impact that permeates the
entire organization.
Building a Company
with a Heart
By Ann N. Gatty, Ph.D.
SOAR TO SUCCESS
/
D
ecember
2016
/
Business Acceleration Strategies