Leaders lead people. A leader is one whom others consistently follow. People follow because they have a brief in the direction, integrity and competence of the one leading.
Irwin Federman, president and CEO of Monolithic Memories, one of the most successful of the high-tech companies in Silicon Valley, illustrates this brilliantly in the following quote: “If you think about it, people love others not for who they are, but for how they make us feel. We willingly follow others for much the same reason. It makes us feel good to do so. Now, we also follow platoon sergeants, self-centered geniuses, demanding spouses, bosses of various persuasions and others, for a variety of reasons as well. But none of those reasons involves that person’s leadership qualities. In order to willingly accept the direction of another individual, it must feel good to do so. This business of making another person feels good in the unspectacular courses of his daily comings and goings is, in my view, the very essence of leadership.”
Management consultant and author, Joe Batten, wrote: “The tough-minded leader always gives high touch primacy over high tech. in short, people first—technology second.”
J. Willard Marriott, chairman of the board of the enormously successful hotel chain, was asked: “How do you manage to be fair and nice with people and yet demand excellence from them?”
“Well, it’s tough-minded management, which basically says that you treat people right and fair and decent, and in return they give their all for you.”
Leaders love people. They expect the best from them. Sensitivity to employee needs, wants and concerns is at the top of their priorities. The courage to make decisions based on “what’s right for people” governs their day-to-day responsibilities. People respond to such leadership.
John W. Gardner, former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare pinpointed four moral goals of a leader:
1. Releasing human potential,
2. Balancing the needs of the individual and the community,
3. Defending the fundamental values of the community, and
4. Instilling in individuals a sense of initiative and responsibility.
These values prompt people to respond positively. When lived, and not just preached, people realize their best interest is being considered. Leaders who sincerely activate Gardner’s goals will experience an upsurge in employee productivity.
Lieutenant General Zais provided this challenge: “I leave you with the one piece of advice which I believe will contribute more to making you a better leader, will provide you with greater happiness and self-esteem, and at the same time advance your career more than other advice that I can provide you.
And it doesn’t call for special personality or for any certain chemistry. Any one of you can do it. And that advice is: You must care.”
Zais continued, “You cannot expect the soldier to be a proud soldier if you humiliate him. You cannot expect him to be brave if you abuse him and cower him. You cannot expect him to be strong if you break him. You cannot ask for respect and obedience and willingness to assault hot landing zones, hump back-breaking ridges, destroy dug-in emplacement, if a soldier has not been treated with respect and dignity which fosters unit spirit and personal pride. The line between firmness and harshness, between strong leadership and bullying… is a fine line. It is difficult to define. But those of us who have accepted a career as leaders must find that only people can lead, not judgment and concern for people are involved in leadership that only people can lead, not computers. I enjoin you to be ever alert to the pitfalls in too much authority. Beware that you do not fall into the category of the little man with a little job and with a big head. In essence, be considerate, treat your subordinates right, and they will literally die for you.”
“Treat people as adults,” says Tom Peter of In Search of Excellence fame. “Treat them as partners, treat them with dignity, and treat them with respect, treat people—not capital spending and automation—as the primary source of productivity gains. These are fundamental lessons from the excellent companies’ research.” 感谢您阅读《Politics 》一文，出国留学网(liuxue86.com)编辑部希望本文能帮助到您。
