Kathleen Quinn Votaw is the CEO
of TalenTrust, a strategic recruiting
and human capital consulting firm.
She is the author of DARE to CARE
IN THE WORKPLACE: A Guide to the
New Way We Work. Regarded as a
key disruptor in her industry, Quinn
Votaw has helped thousands of
companies across multiple industries
develop purpose-based, inclusive
communities that inspire employees
to come to work. Her company has
been recognized in the Inc. 5000.
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The Hard Results Of Soft Leaders
Dare to care. Lead with transparency, fairness, and
respect—ensuring all points of view are heard. Be
the mirror that fosters growth for employees and ask
them to do the same for you.
Take time to listen, walk in others’ shoes, and
share feelings. You don’t have to sugar coat, solve
problems, or have to agree. Meet people in the
present and give them your full attention. Move your
focus from what people do to why they do it.
Share your vulnerabilities. Have the courage to
show your vulnerabilities and share what you’ve
experienced in your life. This opens up others to
share the same with you, building mutual trust
and understanding.
Communicate clear expectations for individuals
and teams. Help set guidelines for working together
and timeframes for project delivery. Revisit them
periodically to make sure they’re still effective and
not bottlenecks to productivity.
Give actionable feedback. Deliver feedback with both
directness and compassion, and as immediately as
possible. Focus on performance.
Be open-minded about flexible work options.
Understand that people have personal lives too.
Allow them to work from home when they have a sick
child, need a home repair, a school function they want
to attend, or the need to shift work hours to avoid a
long commute. Let them choose to work remotely or
hybrid based on what’s best for them.
Invite people to disagree with you and each other.
Respectful disagreement fosters a culture of
psychological safety and helps generate new ideas.
Acknowledge people for their contributions.
Provide measurable targets and space to achieve
them. This means giving people decision-making
authority and letting them go at the job without
micro-management.
Be a mentor and a coach. Guide employees in their
career development, even if it means they leave your
organization to achieve their dreams elsewhere if you
can’t offer the right opportunity.
Isn’t it a relief that in the new normal we are all
in this together? Leaders no longer have to feel
like they’re walking alone, and employees feel
valued and supported. By committing to become
a human-centric leader, you are investing in your
people. There’s no better return on your personal
growth and satisfaction or the ROI on your business.
Focus on the soft skills to achieve the strongest
results.
Employees are stating loudly
that they want leaders who trust
them; listen to them; are honest,
transparent, and flexible; show
patience and humility; and support
and empower them.
Leadership Excellence presented by HR.com JANUARY 2022 15 Submit Your Articles
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