If you’re in a leadership position, you need to engage and inspire people. If you offer a profit-sharing plan or hand out generous holiday bonuses, you may get by with being a jerk. But workplace surveys show that people are just as likely to be motivated when they feel valued and respected as individuals.
To make sure you’re seen as a person with winning ways, avoid these mistakes:
- habitually canceling or rescheduling 1:1s with team members
- texting or emailing in meetings or while talking to someone
- resorting to crude or foul language
- passing the buck
- allowing spelling or grammar errors in emails, posts and tweets
We’re all human. It’s okay to slip up once in awhile. But don’t resort to a devil-may-care attitude about how you act toward others.
Make no mistake about it: Your team and colleagues are far more likely to help you achieve your goals if you work at being a person worthy of admiration and trust.
Before you act . . .
Set high standards for yourself in all areas of your personal and professional life. And never forget that actions always speak louder than words.
