Good Employees Can Be Great Leaders
Many business leaders are presently facing what is most likely the toughest time they have experienced within a leadership role. From COVID-19 to leading teams from home and now addressing a humanitarian emergency, it is impossible to be equipped with all the tools and skills necessary to handle every scenario perfectly. Sure, there are many articles and resources out there aimed to help leaders navigate through all of today’s challenges. However, it is still unrealistic to expect that leaders will have all the answers during these difficult and unprecedented circumstances.
This is where employees can step in and be the difference. We’re all in this together, right? Most leaders are stressed to the max and could likely benefit from some much-needed support. We are living in a time where all of us have the potential to be a leader. You do not need to be in charge of employees to be a leader, and you do not need to take on all the world’s problems. You just need to be in charge of being the difference when the opportunity presents itself.
When you think about the characteristics of a leader, you probably think of someone who takes initiative and supports their team by setting a positive example. While you may not supervise your coworkers, you do interact with them directly. As a result, you may have more opportunities than you realize to take charge of a situation and be the difference.
“We are living in a time where all of us have the potential to be a leader. You do not need to be in charge of employees to be a leader, and you do not need to take on all the world’s problems. You just need to be in charge of being the difference when the opportunity presents itself. ”
Here are some ways that good employees can be great leaders:
Grow. A lot of articles targeting leaders can help equip you with skills and ways to interact with your coworkers. This does not mean that you need to read every article about COVID-19, being productive while working remotely, or social injustices. No, it means take advantage of the resources that are out there and educating yourself in the same way that leaders are during these unique times. There is some great information coming out, daily, on how to be empathetic, effectively communicate and actively listen to others.
Grow as a leader:
The Next Phase: 5 Ways for Leaders to Stay Resilient
Four Skills To Lead With In These Tough Times
Keep in mind that this is not about going for a promotion or stepping into a leadership role in an official capacity. This is about communicating more effectively and being empathetic towards your colleagues. This is about having the chance to make a difference in someone else’s life and taking the initiative to do so. Grow and empower yourself to be that helping hand.
Engage. Sometimes it is as simple as asking coworkers how they are REALLY doing. Most of us have a work colleague or two with whom we are especially close. Most of us are also missing the hallway conversations and the physical interactions of everyday work, and it is hard to pick up on the smaller queues when you are not face-to-face. While leaders may be checking in with their employees and asking how they are doing, not every employee is going to openly engage with their manager. However, they may choose to engage with the colleague they know well and trust.
Engage like a leader:
Seize The Awkward: Conversation Starters
Addressing Racism in the Workplace: Practical Tips and a Personal Perspective
Yes, You Must Talk About Race At Work: 3 Ways To Get Started
Taking the initiative to help a colleague could turn a simple question into a life-long relationship. At the very least, you will develop a whole new level of respect with your colleague. You are not always going to know the right thing to say. In fact, for most of us, it is going to feel awkward, but saying something goes a lot further than saying nothing. Make it a point to ask a colleague how they are really doing, and you will empower them to open up.
Support. Remember during your original job interview when you said you were a team player? Sometimes that means pitching in on a project, and sometimes it can be more than that. Your colleagues may need mental and emotional support. Not everyone is gifted with family and close friends, and you would be surprised how far the listening ear, of a concerned colleague, can go. Sure, this was not in the job description, but we are also living during a time where we need to step out of our comfort zones and be compassionate humans.
Support like a leader:
How to become friends with your coworkers while working remotely
3 No-Brainer Reasons You Should Get Personal With Your Co-workers
During a time of social distancing and remote work, we all have the ability to grow closer to each other. On the other hand, you may not be looking for a friend or trying to deepen your relationship with a colleague, and you may not be someone who is going to have that personal conversation. You can still be supportive in many other ways. Supporting a colleague can be understanding they are going through something and they need some additional time to deal with it. Support them by asking if there is any work to take over so they can focus on their personal needs. You may be surprised by the burden you are lifting, and actions can speak just as loud, if not louder, than words.
Ask. Reaching out to offer help or have that conversation is one way to be a leader. But let’s not undermine the strength it takes to ask for support. Have you ever noticed how leaders seem to know when they cannot do things alone and they ask for help? Much like the point made earlier, you are not always going to say the right thing or make the right ask. Rest assured, you will likely feel much better once you share some of the weight you are dealing with.
Ask like a leader:
3 Myths That Stops People from Asking for Help at Work
Once it is out there people can start to help. Whether it’s asking for someone to step-in on a project or you uttering the words, “I’m not doing well,” you will get more help than if you say nothing. People generally want to help and do not feel burdened by supporting others. Be a leader, take charge, and give yourself the time or relief you need.
Closing Thoughts
The things happening in today’s world have all of us dealing with something, and all of us are dealing with it in different ways. We cannot expect our leaders to be the only ones reaching out to lend support. Keep in mind leaders are human too, and there is a good chance they are dealing with their own struggles. Just like any other colleague, do not hesitate to check-in on them.
Go further by remembering to grow and empower yourself; engage and empower others; support and lift a burden; and ask and feel relieved. Every person and every employee has the ability to be a leader and be the difference.
Additional Resources:
· Mental Health Association of Maryland