🔍 “𝐖𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞, 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞!” A manufacturing site leader once shared his frustration with me about potential production shutdowns due to exceptional snowfall causing traffic challenges. He believed his team was not committed and were using the snowfall as an excuse not to come to work.
💡 I realized that the issue wasn’t with the team but with the leader. In many cases, he was wrong because schools were closed, kids were at home, and many parents couldn’t find childcare solutions. However, he was also right that a few people might have used the snowfall as an excuse because they dreaded working in a culture of fear driven by their site leader.
📉 A bad leader focuses solely on immediate outcomes, views others as means to personal and organizational success, and relies on pressure and fear to achieve goals.
📈 A good leader, on the other hand, has a compelling vision and invites others to engage. They respect their teams, listen empathetically to understand their needs, and genuinely care about their team’s personal development. They are authentic and inspiring, creating a culture where people are motivated to give their best.