They’re lining up to work for him!
An executive at a large hospital will soon be heading up a new hospital within the same system. Employees who work for the organization are lining up to go with him when he opens the doors. He hears comments like, “You’re taking me with you when you go, right?” and “I don’t care what the position is, when you open that hospital, I want to work for you!” Unfortunately, he has more employees asking to go with him than he has positions. WOW – what a problem to have!
Why is it that some people can get others to want to work for them so badly that they don’t care what position they have to take to do so… while others can’t get anyone to want to work for them, no matter how good the position is?
It’s because they’re “human” and display all the qualities that make us the most compassionate and enjoyable people we can be. Here’s why they want to work for him:
“He respects us and asks for our input… and then he actually takes it!”
“He’s a lot of fun to work for – not stuffy and stodgy, but he has a great sense of humor!”
“He always takes time to show everyone that he really cares about us as people.”
“He really knows his stuff, but he doesn’t act like he’s better than everyone else.”
Comments like these highlight the traits that effective leaders consistently display on a daily basis. Note that these employees don’t want to work for a different organization; they just want to work for him. He is the main factor in creating the WOWplace!
Sometimes we equate being professional with being impassive and unemotional. While we do need to keep our emotions in check, we must be careful that we don’t also become unapproachable to those we are to work with or lead. It means that we can – and should – be human enough for them to be willing to go to the wall for us when needed. They won’t go to the wall for an impassive person they only know at arm’s length – but they will do it for someone they care about – and who they know, without a doubt, cares about them.
Former President Eisenhower said it very well: “You don’t lead people by beating them over the head. That’s assault not leadership!”
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