Dr. Dirk Frese, Vice President of Sales, Marketing & Service, JULABO USA.
As a scientist, I have spent a lot of time thinking about what makes a good leader and how to become a better one. But what does leadership even mean? It’s not about having a lot of followers who blindly follow your lead. True leadership means leading with your heart—in both your professional and private life—and finding a balance between leading and being led, which oftentimes goes hand in hand.
You can be a leader to more than just your colleagues and employees. You can take on a leadership role within your family, when you interact with the waitstaff while dining out, or while you engage with a flight attendant on a trip. In all of these scenarios, you must demonstrate vulnerability, authenticity, transparency and clarity. These are the drivers of true leadership.
Most importantly, you lead yourself. When everyone is leading themselves, even followers become leaders, too. They may have different roles, occupations, family situations or relationships on paper, but they are on the same level when it comes to leadership. Only when we understand this balance can leadership work successfully.
Humans cover up their behavior with a lot of cognitive behavior. True leadership is about being clear-cut in the direction given and following that direction, while also giving feedback to steer behavior. As a pet owner, I have observed how animals have souls as we do and often show us more clearly and authentically how humans behave. When you give your pet love, you get love in return. The same goes for your staff and the people around you. Apply this concept to your leadership tasks, and I have no doubt you will succeed. It’s all about leading yourself and others with love.
You may have heard of “managing up,” a term used to describe managing your boss. This is not just a saying; it’s a form of leadership. Management works both ways, and we must understand that leadership is a network of individuals working together toward a common goal. It doesn’t always come from the top down; the team members who are being led are leaders themselves, with each person taking on leadership roles at different times.
To be an effective leader, it’s important to recognize that you are not the only one with ideas and insights. Your team members, colleagues and even family members all have valuable perspectives and experiences that can contribute to your leadership approach. It’s important to create a culture of openness and respect where everyone’s voice is heard and valued.
It’s also important to recognize that as leaders, we are constantly being led by others in our daily lives. Our colleagues may have expertise in areas where we lack knowledge, our family members may have insights into situations we haven’t considered, and even our pets can teach us about the importance of clear communication and setting expectations.
As leaders, we need to communicate clearly and transparently with our team members and be open to receiving feedback and insights from them. We should encourage our team members to speak up and share their ideas and be willing to listen and take those ideas into account when making decisions.
Another important leadership skill is empathy. By putting ourselves in the shoes of our team members and understanding their perspectives and experiences, we can create a more supportive and collaborative work environment. This means being willing to admit our mistakes and taking responsibility for our actions, rather than blaming others or trying to deflect criticism.
Being a good leader also means doing the hard things. Sometimes even a difficult task such as letting an employee go is born from a place of love. This could be necessary for the financial health of the company or even to further develop the individual who has more potential to develop in another environment. Here is where communication and empathy are key. A good leader would make these intentions very clear in an exit interview, for example.
In summary, effective leadership is all about love and balance. It’s about recognizing that leadership is a two-way street, where everyone has something to contribute and everyone has something to learn. By embracing this concept of balance and working collaboratively with our team members, we can create a more inclusive and successful work environment where everyone can thrive.
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