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Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Leaders are THERE

Wait a minute. Leaders are where?

Leaders are THERE.

Well, what does that mean? It means that you show an interest in your folks and what they're doing. It means that you don't sit behind a closed door and live in your own little world of reports and phone calls when your team is out THERE taking care of business, providing hopefully world-class service to your customers, helping the business be successful.

And it certainly means that if you need to ask your team members to do something extra for work like possibly stay late or work on the weekends, you ensure you are visible and accessible. Maybe you don't have to be on the premises every moment that your workers are (although showing up every now and then is a very nice touch), but it does mean that you are available to help them with a problem or advise them with an issue. You don't even necessarily have to do anything at all. Your mere presence can motivate the team and help them know you are totally behind them and their efforts.

Real leaders do the work needed and provide the support necessary to help their people be successful whenever and wherever it is.