How should you speak to people so they really trust you? Here are ten expectations your staff and colleagues have of you as a leader.
These are some of the often unspoken things people are concerned about when you speak, change direction or priorities, have a “brilliant” new idea, or push them beyond where they think they’re capable of reaching.
As a ‘follower’ I want to know that…
- …you’re authentic and real, so I can trust you.
- …you truly believe in what you’re saying; you aren’t saying it just because ‘it’s policy’ or what you’ve been told to tell me.
- …you’re leading in a direction that will benefit us all, not just you.
- …you won’t get angry or damage me in some way if I question your leadership.
- …you have told me all I need to know, not just the easy bits.
- …you won’t pull the plug on me.
- …you’re saying what you’re saying because it truly inspires you, not just to look inspired.
- …you’re in this with me and you feel as responsible for the outcomes as you’re asking me to be.
- …you have doubts sometimes and when you need help, so I can support you.
- …you won’t let me down.
Whether you are being authentic or not will eventually become obvious to your colleagues and those who are on your team. If there is a veil to fall it will fall some time along the way!
Unfortunately, many politicians are amateurs in this field, and they seem to believe they can get away with it. Watch them squirm when they don’t admit to getting something wrong, when they don’t know the answer to something they ‘should’ know, or when they have changed their mind. And we the ‘followers’ yearn for them, just for once, to be authentic and tell the truth.
So the message here is: get really clear at the outset that when you step up to leadership, people expect you to mean what you say, and that you will say all of what it’s necessary to say, not just the easy bits!
