How Do You Lead Out Loud?
Great leadership is not only deliberate, it is also visible.
One of my first leaders in corporate America had some challenges. In our first exchange after I was hired, he called me into his office to discuss my career goals. After five minutes, his phone rang. He answered, looked at his watch, and said, “Oh, in about fifteen minutes.” Then he hung up and returned to our conversation.
Ten minutes later, his phone rang again. He answered and said, “In ten minutes.” When he hung up, I offered, “I don’t think now is a good time to continue our conversation. Let’s reschedule.” He agreed. Our meeting was over, and he never did reschedule that conversation.
This interaction left me with the impression that I was neither important nor valued. I don’t think his behavior was intentionally malicious. He simply did not make a conscious effort to manage our interaction effectively. Being consciously aware of what you are doing and the effect your behavior has on others is the first step in making personal improvements to your leadership.
Here are 13 behaviors that will improve the quality of your leadership and your interactions with others.
- Build trust.
Every item on this list will help you build trust. Being reliable, honest, and full of integrity will help you develop trust with your team members. - Share vision.
People want to know they are part of something important. Having a clear vision for what you are trying to accomplish—and how everyone’s work contributes to that vision—gives people a sense of purpose and increases commitment and productivity. - Be respectful.
The way you speak to and treat others helps build psychological safety. This increases people’s willingness to be open, candid, and willing to share vital information that is often withheld. Respect is one of the hallmarks of an effective company culture, and it promotes job satisfaction, retention, and productivity. - Challenge assumptions.
This applies as much to you as it does to others. Often, people have knowledge of important details that you may be missing. Rather than assuming you know everything or have all the right answers to a particular challenge, ask others for their perspective and experience. This helps ensure everyone is on the same page while also communicating that others’ input is worthy of consideration. - Ask questions.
If you lack the curiosity that motivates you to ask questions, take time to reflect on what you think you know, what you would like to know, and what you need to know. Everyone should ask more than they tell. However, many people in leadership positions are more accustomed to giving directions than asking questions. Asking questions, you genuinely want answers to is one of the easiest ways to build respect. But remember, asking questions also implies that you will listen to and consider the answers people give. - Be present.
This requires a conscious decision to be fully with and attentive to the other person. Be specific about how you manage your time and interactions with others. For example, my manager should have turned off his phone and set clear time parameters for our meeting. He also should have prepared some questions or an agenda for what he wanted to accomplish. That kind of focus would have resulted in a much more respectful and effective meeting. - Express appreciation.
This requires noticing what people are doing and recognizing when they do something noteworthy. Then, say something that expresses your appreciation. You can strengthen your appreciation by identifying what they did, explaining the positive impact their performance will have, and then expressing your gratitude. Following this sequence communicates that you noticed both their action and its impact, which increases the sincerity of your message. It also forces you to think about what you want to say before you just shoot from the hip and hope it lands well.
The way you speak to and treat others helps build psychological safety. This increases people’s willingness to be open.
- Give feedback.
No news is not good news. People want to know how they are doing. It does not matter whether the feedback is positive or constructive. When you provide no feedback, people often assume the worst or fill in the gaps with their own negative conclusions. Let people know how they are doing as close to the performance as possible. Waiting until quarterly reviews—or worse, the end of the year—frustrates people. They want to make needed corrections in how they add value as soon as they can. - Celebrate successes.
There is not enough celebration of superior results. Looking for ways to talk about what is working, along with what could be improved, is critical to producing outstanding results. Look for opportunities to create a culture of appreciation and celebration when people are meeting or exceeding expectations. - Be consistent.
There is nothing worse than having to wonder every day whether your manager will be positive, hypercritical, or negative. Having a Jekyll-and-Hyde manager causes people to avoid working with or interacting with that person. If you have a moody personality, you need to practice self-regulation with those you lead. Work is challenging enough without people having to constantly second-guess the best way to approach their manager from day to day. - Develop emotional intelligence.
No one likes to be yelled at or berated in front of others. Everyone will have their expectations violated at some point in their career. When that happens, take the time to assess the clarity and quality of your directions before addressing people in a negative manner. A little self-reflection will help you move out of your emotional brain and into your rational brain. Learning about emotional intelligence and what it includes should be part of your leadership development plan. Knowing how to manage yourself and relate effectively to others is critical to leading well and reducing your own stress and burnout. - Be approachable and encouraging.
You want your people to approach you with the challenges they are struggling with, and you want to encourage those who struggle regularly. Having people’s backs lets them know you are there to assist in any way you can. It also signals that you are open to learning and committed to helping others grow and develop, even when mistakes happen. - Be integrous.
Say what you will do and do what you say. This allows people to rely on your words and on what you represent. Your people feel more secure, and they respond with loyalty and respect when they know they can count on you.
To lead out loud means your leadership is not only intentional, but visible. It shows up in how you treat people, how you listen, how you respond under pressure, and how consistently you live what you value. When you take time to evaluate your leadership, you can make deliberate choices that build trust, strengthen relationships, and increase your overall effectiveness.
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