Why Good Leaders Must be People-Centred Leaders

Just what is a ‘leader’, really? And why do we want to be one? A CEO? A Manager? A Captain?

And just what is it that we want to achieve? 22000 flying hours and decades of working with countless flight crew, ground crew and office staff, all focussed on building operations that are both safe and profitable has taught me a lot…

In the flight deck, on our worst days, when without notice, the normal becomes an emergency, the most valuable resource we have is our team. We need them, their knowledge and skills, and all the input they can provide, willingly. And I do mean all of it. This is the key to success, and safe operations. Business is no different, especially when times are critical. I know. I’ve applied the same lessons, and they work.

How then do we ensure our staff contribute freely and completely? 

Allow me to share some reasons but do please remember this key point – they have to want to, and to want to..

1. They have to absolutely respect their leader.
2. They have to feel fully respected themselves, and
3. They need to feel a sense of belonging.

Let’s start with belonging first. 

We need to be clear. Profits alone don’t equal leadership. That’s good commercial management.

Good commercial management, and genuine and permanent staff engagement (which is relatively rare) are not mutually exclusive. The sum equals a really good company. It will supercharge your profits. Good commercial management alone does not guarantee longevity. ‘Iconic’ does that.

Real leaders and organisations stand for something – not just anything, but something our crew (our staff, and the public) value. It’s rarely ever profits. It’s not just about the size of an organisation either. There are countless large companies that still don’t earn the title, ‘iconic’.

The real key? To deserve that, the staff and public will have taken moral ownership of it. That’s right. It stands for something they value. They will defend it. Once that’s happened, you’re there, but not before.

And so a real leader makes an organisation iconic. And our staff will belong.

So what makes a real leader? Actually, the people do, but only if we treat them right. 

How do you want to be remembered? With the respect of the masses or of the few around us?

Either way, it’s not a matter of the quantity of people whose respect we earn (that’s just the resultant) but how we earn it that will govern it. If we demonstrate those qualities that make us someone others aspire to be like, it’s highly likely we’ll gain the respect of those we’ve never even met. Our reputation will ensure it, and we’re building our reputation and creating our legacy every day. So, what if we take the approach that our real aim is to earn as much respect as possible, and let the role be a result of our efforts? That’s the answer.

Oh, and real leaders don’t set out to be one. They earn the respect – yes, of the masses.

How then do we become ‘that’ leader? 

We have to earn it. It cannot be forced. Indeed if we try to lead with a steep managerial gradient, we’ll get reluctant compliance at best and probably temporarily at that. Moreover, and worst of all, we’ll get what I term, the ‘minimum plus’, and that is the minimum required to ensure their employment safety, plus a bit. Sadly then, we’ll never know what their best performance actually is and what could have been for our organisation because we’ll never have witnessed it. And very probably the staff themselves will never have known what they’re capable of either.

How do we earn respect? Show respect?

These are critical.

1. Show genuine humility. Humility is power. In fact it’s better than power. It’s influence. Humility invites people to open up and talk to us, to tell us what’s really happening on the front line, and to do so without fear.
2. Ask, ask and ask again. They’re the experts in their fields, not us. Even if we think we know the answer, ask. It will demonstrate genuine respect. Gather information, make your decision, explain it, act.
3. Be on the front line as much as possible. Make whatever is happening to your staff affect you too.
4. Share the daily spoils. If you’re receiving executive benefits, share them. Not using your carpark? Share it.
5. Forget engagement programs. They don’t work. Money doesn’t work. Working for money is working for money, not us, or the company. Prizes don’t either. In fact if we have a cynical workforce, giving a prize will be seen as an attempt to buy their loyalty. If you think you need an engagement program, you have a cultural problem.
6. ..and know this. There is black and there is white, but there’s a whole lot more grey. Some things, like procedures, are straightforward – right or wrong. Others, like people, are not so, and that’s ok.

Let’s get the culture right.

And that’s all about you – you and your relationship with your staff. Get that right and watch what happens – permanently.

Written by Chris Smith.
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