10 WAYS THE GOLDEN RULE CAN MAKE YOU A BETTER LEADER
Practicing ‘The Golden Rule,’ treating others as you would like to be treated will make you a better leader. Here are ten ways you can apply this seemingly simple principle to improve how you are perceived, your level of influence, and depth of professional relationships.
1. Ask for Feedback
How we see ourselves and how others see us can be extremely different. Ask three individuals (staff, colleagues, and clients) to give you three words that they would use to describe your leadership style. Understanding how you are perceived, and then identifying what you could change or improve will help you become a better leader.
2. Set Your Interaction Intentions
Think about how you want to appear in a situation and the results that you would like to attain. How you treat people you are meeting with has a direct correlation to the results that you will achieve.
3. Be on Time, Present and Focused
Arriving on time shows respect. Being completely present demonstrates focus. No-one wants to be in a meeting with someone who is distracted or disinterested.
4. Be Warm and Welcoming in Your Phone Interaction
When answering the phone, resist the temptation to multitask. Focus on the caller, listen, be engaged, patient, and professional.
5. Slow Down
So many leaders go through their day at lightning speed. Here is a golden nugget for you, slow down, and you will be more effective. Allow yourself the time to reflect and plan strategically on the most critical tasks that will bring you the best returns. Remember the Pareto Principle or 80/20 Rule, typically 80% of your efforts lead to a mere 20% of results. Use this rule to flip the way you do business, focus on the most critical or top 20% of items on your list, and make them your priority. Stop the busyness; it is not helping you move the dial on your productivity nor bottom line results.
6. Be Aware of Your Mood
Whether you are meeting someone for the first time or meeting with someone you know well, be aware of your mood. Be intentional in your efforts to retain a positive attitude throughout the day.
7. Be Aware of Your Energy
We’ve all been in a meeting with an ‘energy-suck’, someone who sinks the room with heavy sighs or negative comments. Now think of a meeting where a person’s energy, engagement, and presence were palpable and buoyed the room. Be the person who exudes high-energy, and positive presence and you will attain better results.
8. Be Aware of How You Greet Others
When meeting with new people, set a positive first impression. You have less than seven seconds to do so, you are read on energy, expression, appearance, tone, and handshake. So, make those first seven seconds count.
9.Ensure you Positively Frame a Meeting
Positive framing goes a long way in achieving the best outcome. If you start a conversation by highlighting what has not gone well, rather than framing it in a positive light, it will more likely end in confrontation, disagreement, or conflict.
10.Set Exit Standards
Your exit standard is as important as your greeting and framing. How an individual feels after an interaction with you is often remembered more than what is said. Restating any follow-up action, or proposed next steps are the key to closure for the communication and full understanding of what is to follow.
Take the Golden Rule Challenge
Over the next week, set your interaction intentions before every meeting, be conscious of your energy level and presence, and set your greeting, framing, and exit standards. Implement the ten strategies listed, and I promise you they will have a very positive impact in your week ahead.
Let me know how it goes, please do leave a comment or email me at jenny@jennyreilly.com.
