The beginning of each year can be the right time to reflect on the past and ponder the future. In what ways can we improve our job satisfaction? As leaders, how can we impact lives for the better in roles where others depend on our actions and decisions?
For most people, nothing is less within our control than our work. The combination of external forces that impact our work – pandemics, economic collapse, Mergers and Acquisitions going wrong, among other things – can exacerbate feelings of insecurity and dissatisfaction about our jobs. By the time we are 68, we will have worked an average of 90,000 hours. Imagine a leader that contributes to making a large percentage of that time feel rewarding and satisfying. Now imagine being that leader.
Decide what kind of leader you want to be, then act accordingly
As a leader, you have the power to develop and nurture a culture where employees experience job satisfaction, feel genuinely empowered and are in control of their jobs and how they perform One where team members are unafraid of what could happen and instead focus their energy on what they can make happen daily.
You can create a work environment in which you’re able to look forward to giving tough performance feedback, because it will be received with gratitude, knowing the intent is to develop and deepen your employees’ competencies and improve their relationships with colleagues. In the extreme, imagine firing someone or laying off a group in a way that is caring and easily understood. Or better, the action is predicted by the employee and therefore not surprising or devastating.
Intending to be transparent and deliberate about having clear communication with employees is insufficient. If, as a leader, your intention is to lead authentically – speaking and acting on your truth, whatever that is – then thoughtful actions must follow to have the desired impact.
A leader perceived as authentic, acting their narrative with consistency and having the desired impact, is more respected and effective than those making futile attempts to be what we think others want us to be. When a leader lacks this level of consistency and authenticity, they send conflicting messages and their team inevitably reacts with equal uncertainty and fear about the future.
Now where do you go from here?
If you are a leader now, ask yourself: Are your actions aligned with your narrative and intention – walking the talk – and are you experiencing the impact desired? In what ways are you compromising your authentic self and why? Do you feel in control of your destiny at work and are you empowering your employees to feel the same?
It’s 2023. Imagine having a better experience than in 2022, and greater positive impact in the teams you lead. Imagine your missions and businesses flourish with the productivity and contribution of happy employees. This is in your control and you can make this happen.