We have talked to many leaders who tell us “I don’t care if they like me or not, I’m the boss”. Really? Allow me to ask you a question: Can you think of one person that you disliked, that you wanted to work hard for? That you would give them your best, all your imagination, your creativity and inspiration? The more likely scenario is that they will use their creativity to find ways to rebel, to find ways around the rules, and if you’re not right there onsite, the standards and rules won’t be adhered too and ultimately it’s the organization that suffers. So what to do? Make sure your employees know the rules and regulations of the organization (which means you better know them first), that they know exactly what is expected of them and what will happen if they don’t meet those expectations. Sit with your employees and find out what their strengths and weaknesses are as well as what their goals and hopes for the future are. Employ the behaviors of leadership (we also call them the behaviors of love but you’ll have to attend a course to find out why) which are patience, kindness, humility, respect, selflessness, forgiveness, honesty and commitment. Used on a day to day basis, your employees will feel that what they do has importance and that they also are important and accountable. You see being liked is a result. It is not a goal and should not be used as any basis for decision making, but people give more of themselves to people they like. They just do! And if you’re doing leadership right, they will work harder, more creatively and they will grow, which means your organization will grow too. If you’re interested in the push for excellence through better leadership, go to our website: www.liatraining.com and either give us a call or drop us an email. We promise you we can help.