Thursday July 3, 2008 #50
“Leadership begins with recognizing that everybody needs four things: something to do, someone to love, something to hope for, and something to believe in. Strategic plans don’t excite anybody. Dreams excite people… And every employee, every team member, wants to know the same thing: Do you really care about me? Every successful organization shows its people they genuinely matter.”
~Lou Holtz
Further to my discussion on the power of love in the business world, Lou Holtz uses that idea again in his quote about leadership. When a leader can understand that she manages people and not “talent” or “human resources”, she begins to look at leadership in a different way. The same things that people need in their personal lives are needed in their professional lives – particularly today when the 24/7 nature of today’s workplace blurs the lines between personal and professional time.
At work, the “love” we need is for meaningful work and co-workers and leaders we can passionately work with and for. Your assignment today: Think about your key team members. Not as “talent” or “human resources” but as people. Think about the four needs these people have, according to the Holtz quote. How well do you provide an environment that meets their needs? What dream do you have for them which can excite them? What can you do to show them they really matter?
A few things for JAMmin’ leaders to think about!