Building an organization that truly puts people first requires a leader with the strength of character and humility to admit when she’s wrong.
Most leaders believe that their organization treats its people well. Those organizations that actually do treat their employees with respect, don’t fear asking employees to evaluate the organization’s mettle in this regard. These companies allow employees to respond to surveys anonymously. They embrace these opportunities for growth. Their leaders closely scrutinize all answers to determine which aspects of their organization could improve. They experiment by implementing revised policies and procedures, by restructuring and by devising new approaches to projects, clients and employees until their feedback reflects a positive change in the formerly deficient areas.
As a leader, what about this process makes your palms sweat? Whatever you fear could be the elephant that’s holding your organization back from further success. You confront apparitions daily in your role as chief executive. What would shift for your organization if you created a safe space for yourself, your clients and ALL of your employees to reflect what they see, then used that information to change?