As a leadership coach, I am frequently in conversation about what good leadership looks like. I also have limited exposure to other people’s leadership directly because I work outside of a normal corporate structure. I have no boss, no coworkers, no next-level superior in my daily work environment. And yet, the fundamentals of leadership matter everywhere.
It is not only in traditional workplaces where consistent, quality leadership is needed, but literally anywhere people are gathered for a purpose. Your non-profit boards, youth sports teams, faith groups, parent-teacher organizations and local elected leadership circles all require a baseline of leadership skill in order for those groups to function well. It is essential for leaders and members to have a good human experience being there.
Perhaps there aren’t KPIs, or major client relationships, or even very high stakes. You don’t need to meet every week in community organizations to talk about progress on deliverables. What is left then? Clear and complete communication becomes the most important tool available, and it will make or break your team unit or organization.
Say Hi, Make Eye Contact
I can’t express how simple this is, and important to letting people know that you see them. I recently spent 15 hours with a community leader over three days, and they didn’t say hello or initiate acknowledgement at all during that time. It felt like avoidance. Don’t make it weird.
Listen Before Initiating Change
When leaders come in to a new group, it is natural for them to want to make their mark on things quickly. And, it’s always useful to listen and observe what is and why it might be that way before initiating change. If leaders can come with beginner’s mind and be curious, they will find a lot more make sense, and it will be easier to communicate clear vision and priorities rather than a 100-point checklist of things to fix.
Check Emotions, Stay Curious
If the leader makes it personal, everyone else will follow suit. If leaders can check emotions, suspend judgement and act like a scientist, it allows discussion or differing opinions to exist without making questions feel like a personal affront.
In community leadership when many of the other measurements of success don’t apply, quality communication is your most essential tool to build your team and do quality work. We are still working with people, and our interactions will inform the success of the group.
About the author:
Katie Rasoul is a keynote speaker, author, coach and Chief Awesome Officer for Team Awesome, a leadership coaching and culture consulting firm. She is a TEDx speaker alumna, author of the best-selling book, Hidden Brilliance: A High-Achieving Introvert’s Guide to Self-Discovery, Leadership and Playing Big, and the children’s book, The Llama and the Balloon.
To learn more about Katie’s work, visit www.katierasoul.com.
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