As a founder and CEO, I have reflected and drawn on the many years of mentoring and coaching that I’ve been fortunate enough to receive. Time and time again, I come back to what I've found the most successful leaders have in common: Their people come first.
As Angela Ahrendts, former head of Apple's online retail
and physical stores, said, “Everyone talks about building a relationship with your customer. I think you build one with your employees first.” To help your company survive and your employees thrive, I recommend four specific steps for leaders to take that will help them prioritize people-first leadership.
1. Create a culture of learning.
Since the onset of the pandemic, many of us have entered into a phase of learning and enrichment. When leaders not only encourage their employees to engage in continuous learning but also seek to learn themselves, it shows an investment in their people and that learning is a part of the culture. Take time to learn the complexities of the business. This shows a prioritization of employees and that you truly seek to understand the work they do.
I am passionate about supporting employees and providing opportunities to get whatever advice and information they need — when they need it. Serving employees as they explore and grow, as well as providing them with tangible and emotional support, encourages people to be their best. When leaders actively seek the ideas and contributions of their employees, it creates ownership and responsibility that drives forward the culture of learning.
2. Instill trust.
Building the trust of employees is one of the most essential requirements I believe a leader will ever have. Trust is truly the foundation of success. Earning trust can be simple but certainly not always easy. Be honest. Be consistent. Be a role model. Be accountable. When leading your employees, consistently model the behavior you seek. This raises the standard and keeps your people first.
In a great show of accountability during layoffs at his company, Henry Ward, CEO of financial services software firm Carta, wrote, “If you are one of those affected, it is because I decided it. Your manager did not. They are blameless. If today is your last day, there is only one person to blame and it is me.” By holding himself accountable, I believe Ward helped create a system of trust among employees and their direct managers, as well as among managers and himself.
3. Communicate with your people in mind.
Leaders need to be the voice of reason and encouragement for their people, and this comes from consistent and clear communication. It is important that you find the time to communicate necessary information early and often, as emphasizing your company’s mission helps to ground employees during these uncertain times. As a leader, it also serves to communicate your determination and faith in your company. If you see opportunities and not obstacles, your employees will have confidence and trust in you.
Sometimes, communication means actively listening. As a leader, it’s one thing to hear what your people are saying, and it’s another to completely digest what they have said, show them you have listened by repeating it back and then engaging in meaningful dialogue.
Right now, it is especially important to be empathetic to what your employees might be going through and to think about what you need to communicate to them to keep them motivated. Ask questions, and take time to reflect. Show your employees you value their work and what they have to say. Both you and your company will be better off when you truly pay attention to your people and target your communications to what they need to hear.
4. Prioritize your employees’ mental health and well-being.
Since the start of the pandemic, there has been an increase in mental health challenges. Some of your employees might be struggling. One of the most important and valuable things you can do is help employees manage the situation with open and honest conversation, empathy, and access to tools and resources.
As journalist, entrepreneur and motivational speaker Jessica Abo suggested in an interview with a Forbes contributor, the most powerful way leaders can impact their employees is to truly care about their well-being. She said, “I cannot stress enough that if you run a team and want to make your company a value-add in someone’s life, you must make meaningful connections with the people who show up for you every day.”
From my perspective, prioritizing people and their needs over objectives will lead to happier and healthier employees, raising productivity and morale. It’s also important for leaders to de-stigmatize mental health issues and encourage employees to take advantage of mental health resources available to them.
While these are four steps you can take to prioritize your people, there’s not a one-size-fits-all model for people-first leadership. You will find success when you lead with your employees’ well-being in mind and adapt to their needs. Martin Seligman, the father of Positive Psychology, once said, “I now think that the topic of positive psychology is well-being, that the gold standard for measuring well-being is flourishing, and that the goal of positive psychology is to increase flourishing.” So, as you prioritize your people’s well-being, ask yourself: Are they flourishing? And as their leader, are you facilitating this?
Meet Gemma