Train
Every person, at every level in an organization needs some level of training and development. The rate of innovation is accelerating at a mind-numbing pace, and no matter what role a person holds, the skills of today will become insufficient for the work of tomorrow. Whether it is in the area of people readiness, a deeper technical expertise, management training or an ability to take feedback as constructive guidance; the development of the workforce must be a core tenant to any winning workforce strategy.
The greatest gift a leader can give their people is the gift of developing them professionally.
Align
A key component to fostering alignment with employees and creating buy in for the business vision, mission and values is to find a way to connect the bigger picture into each and every employee’s heart and head. When the leader has an emotional commitment to the business mission and understands how his vision satisfies his peoples’ needs, that leader has direct access to igniting engagement within them. Without followers, you can’t be a leader—followers will only voluntarily engage in something they think satisfies their needs as well as your goals.
When people can connect their personal mission and purpose with the greater good of the company they naturally feel compelled to do better and give more of themselves at work.
Rewards and consequences
In taking action and moving toward completion of your mission and vision, there will inevitably be surprises and unexpected results. A person skilled in leading will continually assess the plan for achieving the stated goals and make course corrections along the way. Leading requires a focus on the milestones along the way, as well as an eye on the long-term mission.
While accountability is not black and white; it is a fundamental building block of any highly effective organization. Great leaders inform their people of what their role is expected to accomplish and how their role and work connects to the bigger company mission and plan. People do best when they have a full picture of the intended outcomes and the systemic impacts of their contribution.
In order to create a culture that drives your business initiatives forward and fulfills the intention of your mission, you’ll need to invest time and energy towards developing yourself as a leader of that culture. How well you communicate your intentions and how often, will be critical to the success of your cultural alignment initiative. To be the M.O.R.T.A.R. that holds your workforce together, you must make developing yourself a top priority.
If you’d like to learn more on how to be more successful in your hiring, view this short video below and tell us how you plan on transforming your workforce in the comments below!