Many leaders think that having the job title and the authority will automatically bring them their team’s loyalty and dedication. And they are surprised and annoyed when that does not seem to happen, no matter how important their title is and how well they are perceived by their own managers and peers.
If you are one of those managers, maybe it is time to ask yourself: “Have I earned the right to lead my team?”. And this does not mean “Have I performed well enough to be promoted to my current position?” or “Is my manager happy with the results I bring to the company?”. It means: “Have I captured the hearts and minds of my team so they are willing to go the extra mile for me?”. And those are often very different things.
My friend got a new boss. He had a very senior title, great support from top leadership, and good intentions. But he lacked competence and did not spend enough time learning what the team did and had achieved so far. As you can imagine, it did not go well either for him or the team. He was frustrated because they would not keep him abreast of everything. They spent a lot of time trying to go around him so he does not derail their efforts with his lack of competence.
I, myself, had a manager who was quite competent and had high credibility. He had good ideas and a friendly personality. But he only cared about the teams in his hierarchy, their development and how they felt at work after the annual engagement survey results. For a few weeks after he would initiate a flurry of engagement activities and initiatives. And then go back to not ever talking to them until next year. And while the team respected him, they felt no connection or loyalty to him.
If you asked either of them, they would say they were good leaders. They had good intentions or competence. Their leadership supported them. But if you asked their teams, the story would be different. Because those leaders had not truly earned the right to lead their teams.
So how do you determine if you’ve earned the right to lead your team?
Put yourself in your team’s shoes and ask yourself the following questions:
What behaviors am I modeling for my team?
Actions matter more than words. And do no doubt it for a second – your team is watching everything you do. Think about your best and worst manager and look at your own behaviors. Which of the two does your behavior approximate more?
Moreover, do you behave like you expect your team to behave?
Do I set a clear vision and direction for my team?
Setting a vision and direction for their team is one of the most important jobs for a leader. And your team will not follow you if you don’t tell them clearly where you are going. Think about the team member that is furthest away from you in the team hierarchy and ask yourself: “How clear are they on the direction of our team?”. And if you don’t know, you definitely should be talking to that team member more.
Do I possess enough competence?
I was once told that after you reach a certain level in an organization, your competence does not matter as much as your ability to play the corporate political game. While this is to a large extent true and your lack of expertise will likely not prevent your career progression if you are good at building alliances, when it comes to your team, they do need the certainty that if they come to you for advice or escalation, you will be able to support them. And that requires at least some level of competence.
Am I credible enough?
You can learn more about building your credibility from the infographic here. What is important to remember is that if you are not credible, your team will not trust you. And if they do not trust you, there is no way they will follow you.
Do I show personal commitment to my team’s goals?
I have met many leaders who expect a great deal of dedication and personal sacrifice from their team members but, for some reason, do not hold themselves to the same standards. If your team is constantly working overtime, fighting valiantly complex interdepartmental battles, and overcoming numerous obstacles every day, and you don’t, you are likely not their real leader.
Do I demonstrate character and integrity?
I don’t think this requires much explanation. I will repeat it again – your team watches everything you do. So if you break your integrity or don’t show the character expected for your role, they will see it. And they will remember.
Do I admit my mistakes?
One of the things many managers find difficult is admitting their mistakes. They feel this may hurt their reputation or the respect their team has for them. But it is quite the contrary. We all make mistakes; this is inevitable. But what is important is how we react afterwards. And there is no faster way to lose the respect of your team than failing to admit your mistake or trying to shift the responsibility for it.
How well do I manage my emotions under pressure?
Corporate life is tough. There are deadlines, lofty goals, lots of change and sometimes failures. There are undoubtedly many moments when we feel angry, frustrated, sad, betrayed, and the list goes on. Emotionally intelligent leaders know how to handle those negative emotions and not take them out on their teams. Are you such a manager?
Do I serve my employees?
Another important aspect of your job as a leader is to support your employees and remove the obstacles they face in their work. Your willingness and ability to do so is another aspect of earning the right to lead.
Do I care about them?
Being there for your team goes beyond removing work-related obstacles. It also requires you to show care for them as individuals. This can mean providing them with growth opportunities, enabling their careers, and getting to know them as whole persons and not just through their work tasks.
Do my words and actions match?
And last but not least, you need to walk the talk. No matter how charismatic a leader you are, no matter how compelling the vision you create, if your actions do not match your words, your team will not accept you as their leader.
It’s a long and maybe a bit daunting list. But don’t get me wrong, we are all human, and we make mistakes. And we cannot show up at 100% all the time. So we will not always be flawless leaders.
But if we have high expectations of our teams, we have to remember that they have high expectations of us too. And we have to meet those expectations at least somewhat to earn the right to lead them.