You don’t have to be in a position of authority to be a leader. Betsy Myers encourages everyone to identify times you are a leader in your day-to-day life, and she shares her best advice for making the most of those relationships. With examples from her own life, including motherhood and senior adviser to two US presidents, Betsy reveals her success is based on developing the most positive relationships she can, making people feel engaged and worthwhile, instead of wielding power from above.
Although I’m new to the leadership and business genre, this is my favorite to date. The bottom line is simple and easy – your business will thrive if you are nice to your employees and treat them like real people. There is discussion of some tried and true techniques, including setting clear expectations and giving lots of feedback. But Betsy also spends time on how important it is to provide a safe and welcome environment for employee’s to voice their concerns and suggestions, so that you can uncover problems early, as well as getting to know what is important to your employees and co-workers, even on a personal level. Working with priorities that focus on the big picture allows for an outbox strategy, instead of being chained to the inbox.
Most inspirational of all, Betsy sets a challenge to remain curious and seek out opportunities for growth, and if you are in a position that no longer holds no passion for you, then it’s time to push through the fear and make a change. Life is short and we should all strive to lead an authentic life, whatever that means at your point in time. Set your priorities in life for what gives you joy, and help others to follow their own path.
“Simple human traits: value, appreciation. People love feeling included. That’s what I’m saying to our leaders. If people feel heard, they do their best work. The number one reason people leave a job is because of managers. We need to train leaders better.”