It starts with Authentic Leadership

So, what is leadership really? There have been hundreds, if not thousands, of books written on the topic. However, for me, it’s about returning to a core set of values and behaviors that really determine true, authentic leadership.

Leadership is not just something you can read about in a book or blog and start deploying the principles inside your business. It takes a serious personal commitment to understanding your leadership style and tendencies. At the very core, your leadership style is really a reflection of who you are as a human being. It starts with your beliefs, values, and behaviors. As a leader, it’s these values that are reflected in your true, authentic self. These core values get displayed every time you interact and respond to your leadership team and employees. Last Sunday, a pastor here in Texas quoted a farmer in Tennessee who I think pretty much sums up the authentic self-concept: “What comes up in the bucket, reflects what’s in the well”.

I don’t think it could be said any plainer. The reality is that who you really are is how you will lead. Your leadership flows out of what you value.

You need to ask yourself a very basic question 

Do you value conflict, infighting, internal office politics, and the practice of finding someone to blame? Or do you value honesty, collaboration, integrity, compassion, learning, and inclusion? The bottom line is that your employees will demonstrate the values and behaviors you demonstrate yourself. So, if you feel your company’s culture has turned toxic, perhaps it’s time as a management team to re-examine the behaviors that might be the cause. The good news is, as leaders, we get to choose the type of culture and behaviors we want to establish and encourage. Based on my own experiences, over a 40-year career, toxic environments will ultimately fail to produce the results most leaders are looking for. I have personally witnessed both small and Fortune 200 companies go from Golden Child to completely out of business because of a toxic, highly political office environment.

Leaders get to choose the type of culture and behaviors they desire

The good news is that, as leaders, we get to choose the type of culture and behaviors we want to establish and encourage. Based on my own experiences, over a 45-year career, toxic environments will ultimately fail to produce the results most leaders are looking for. I have personally witnessed both small and Fortune 200 companies go from Golden Child to completely out of business because of toxic, highly political office environments.

You cannot control all influences on your culture

Let’s face it, our business lives and behaviors often reflect what is going on in our society. These influences can sometimes make it more difficult to make the changes needed to turn around an organization. However, where this is a will, there is a way.

Leaders need to create cultures that are based on more than money

I, for one, would like to see American businesses take the lead in re-creating companies that people are excited to work for and grow with over a long period of time. It has to be more than money; that motivator is fleeting. Let’s establish businesses that people can thrive, be inspired, grow, contribute, be proud of, and prosper as well. There is a way to stop the revolving door of employees and senior staff, you just need to decide if your company’s future is worth the effort.

Leadership begins at the top and goes through every level of the organization

Here at SpursOn Group, we believe that Leadership is the most important factor in a company’s success. It needs to be encouraged at every level of an organization. No matter how great a product or service your company has, without leadership, there’s no business. Don’t let poor leadership get in the way of your company’s future.