The fifth and final Practice of Exemplary Leadership through the Leadership Challenge is Encourage the Heart.
As a leader you know that accomplishing extraordinary things in organizations is hard work. In order to keep hope and determination alive, you must recognize contributions that individuals make. In every winning team and within every great organization, the members need to share in the rewards of their efforts, and we need to celebrate our accomplishments – both as individuals and collaboratively. In order to truly encourage the heart, we must make those around us feel like heroes.
Of all of the Practices, Commitments and Behaviors of Exemplary Leaders illustrated in the Leadership Challenge, Encouraging the Heart is both the easiest to exhibit and the most difficult to put into practice.
Accomplishing extraordinary things in organizations is hard work. To keep hope and determination alive, leaders recognize the contributions that individuals make. In every winning team, the members need to share in the rewards of their efforts, so leaders celebrate accomplishments. They make people feel like heroes. |
Why is this?
If lifting others up in both our words and deeds is inherently human, why is this Practice so difficult for many to master?
The reason is quite simple… It requires us, as leaders, to be vulnerable.
Check out this amazing presentation by Brene Brown on the Power of Vulnerability –>
Leaders who consistently Encourage the Hearts of those on their teams are providing each person with the support, motivation and inspiration that they need to achieve more than what they may have thought possible.
Now it’s your turn to be vulnerable… try it. I know it can be difficult, but once you get into the habit of doing this, you will be amazed at the outcome…
(Or watch it here – https://youtu.be/iCvmsMzlF7o )
To learn more about me, click here.
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My leadership journey began more than than 25 years ago with The Leadership Challenge, the most trusted source on becoming a better leader. So far, more than 2 million copies of the book have been published in over in over 20 languages. Based on Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner’s extensive global research, this life changing approach to leadership and their enduring work is critical to help us navigate the world of work today. The basic premise is that leadership is a relationship that must be nurtured and, most important, that it can be learned.