Richard Leaver, Alliance PTP CEO - I recently came across a powerful reminder of how military leaders prioritize the needs of their non-commissioned soldiers. They would let their soldiers be served their food first, even placing themselves at the back of the line. This simple act holds deep symbolism and has significant implications for leaders across all organizations. As Simon Sinek aptly writes, "What's symbolic in the chow hall is deadly serious on the battlefield: Great leaders sacrifice their own comfort--even their own survival--for the good of those in their care." Although most leaders and their teams may not face life-or-death situations or suffer significant discomfort, the lessons we can learn from such behaviors are relevant to everyday leadership.
As a manager and leader, I always try to prioritize the needs of my teams over my own. This stems from my firm belief that the success of a leader is wholly dependent upon meeting the needs of the team they serve. When we genuinely care for our team members, making their well-being the forefront of every decision, it paves the way for the individuals, the team, and the organization to flourish.
In the realm of healthcare, the example of waiting to eat until after your clinical team has had their meal may not hold as much relevance. However, as a clinical leader, there are practical ways to demonstrate this behavior. For instance, rescheduling patients from a therapist to your schedule, allowing them the opportunity to take care of themselves or their family members for the day.
During the height of the Covid pandemic, numerous examples of leadership 'eating last' emerged. Good leaders put the needs of their employees before their own. Organizations went above and beyond to support their team members by ensuring continued employment, benefits, and compensation, even at the expense of themselves and the profitability of the business. It was only after the crisis subsided and a sense of normality and financial stability returned did leaders finally care for themselves.
Effective leadership is not about grandiose gestures of sacrifice, although there may be occasions where such acts are warranted and necessary. Instead, I believe it is the culmination of many simple behaviors and actions, repeated with great frequency. These actions demonstrate kindness and helpfulness to your team and encourage them to emulate such behaviors, fostering a culture of humility, teamwork, and thoughtfulness. While most of these sacrifices and gestures may go unnoticed by the recipients, the intention behind these actions and behaviors is not to seek reciprocity, flattery, or self-importance. Rather, it is about contributing to the well-being of team members and the greater good of the organization. In the long run, leaders who consistently exhibit such actions will reap significant rewards. Over time, they will earn the support, trust, and respect of those they lead. Once this is achieved, there is nothing that the team would not do to assist the leader and the organization in achieving their objectives.
Creating and nurturing such a positive environment and culture requires not only continuous and conscious effort but also a significant investment of time. While leaders can easily lose trust, respect, and engagement from their team, building or rebuilding these qualities takes an extraordinary amount of time. As an organization, it is crucial to consistently demonstrate behaviors, policies, and processes that prioritize people and effectively communicate the reasons behind any potentially counterproductive changes.