One of the hurdles small business owners face is the challenge of having to wear many hats throughout a typical work week. I was talking to a friend of mine this past week and he commented that along with everything else going on he needed to repair a toilet as it had stopped working.
My initial response was that he should hire it out, but he noted that not only would that cost twice what it would cost him to do it himself, he simply enjoyed being able to take on the role of handyman from time to time.
It got me thinking though in terms of the optics that this “extra effort” demonstrated and if that had an effect on the team he employed. He has asked his team to be “all in” on the initiatives and directives put in place that has set the business on a path to growth and continued success - and for the most part they are all in.
No one on the team wears the title of “handyman” nor does the owner, but seeing the guy who signs their paycheck roll up his sleeves and get to work repairing a toilet I believe sends a powerful message, one that we all can learn from or be reminded of this morning.
I’m a firm believer that when leading a team, the leaders sets the tone for the overall temperament of the members as well as the output levels. If the leader slacks off the other members will follow suit. If on the other hand the team members see the leader giving it their all, they will do the same. This rings even truer in a small business environment.
The small business owner sets the output based on the output they demonstrate. It is rare that the employees (or team members) set the pace. When my friend demonstrated his willingness to roll up sleeves and work, even if it meant repairing a broken toilet his team noticed.
The office as a whole excels and each employee strives to go above and beyond because they have seen that attitude on display day in and day out by the owner.
The idea this morning is really simple, great leaders lead by example. There isn’t some great subliminal message or theory presented here. Great leaders lead by example.
When I ran a general contracting company years ago, all new hires had to sign a code of conduct of which one of the primary points was simply this, We won’t ask you to do something we won’t do ourselves.
That approach to leading fosters great team members and creates an atmosphere that engages everyone and compels them to go above and beyond in their daily roles thereby creating a winning workplace. In the case of my friend and his business, it also means all the toilets are functioning correctly as well.
As you start today, remember that the people you lead are watching you - so lead by example and watch your team flourish.
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