The Leadership Standard Every Employee Notices

Think about the best boss you ever had.

Not the smartest, most charismatic or the boss with the most impressive title or accomplishments. 

The best boss.

What made them memorable?

Chances are you are not thinking about their technical expertise, business acumen, industry reputation, or even their greatest accomplishment.

You remember how they treated people.

You remember how they listened when something was wrong (at work or personally). You remember how they took an interest in your success. You remember how they challenged you to be better. You remember how they were willing to tell you the truth when you needed to hear it.

They were fair. They held people accountable. They did what they said they would do. Most importantly, you could count on them.

Now let me ask you a more difficult question.

Will anyone say those things about you someday?

If so, what is your evidence?

Whether you currently lead people or not, we all learn from leaders. We learn from good leaders, great leaders, and bad leaders. Knowing what to do is valuable. Knowing what not to do can be priceless.

As a long-tenured leader and manager, I can clearly identify the leaders who shaped me.

I have worked for many leaders throughout my career. Some were exceptional. Some taught me valuable lessons by showing me what leadership should never look like.

The leaders who made the greatest impact on me are still influencing my decisions today. I find myself drawing from their examples when making difficult decisions, handling conflict, developing employees, or navigating uncertainty.

Their character was reflected in how they treated people, especially those who could do nothing for them in return. As Matthew 25:40 reminds us, how we treat others matters.

Their influence extended far beyond the workplace. Many of the leadership lessons I learned from them became life lessons. They shaped how I view relationships, how I approach difficult situations, how I mentor others, and even the kind of husband, father, and man I strive to be.

These experiences became part of the inspiration behind writing The Narrow Path to an Engaged Workforce. I wanted to better understand why some leaders leave a lasting positive impact while others are quickly forgotten.

The challenges of strategy, productivity, quality, safety, and financial performance are important. Every leader must address them. Yet employees experience an organization primarily through their relationship with their immediate supervisor.

After more than four decades in leadership and human resources, I have come to believe that the best leaders share a common characteristic.

They may have different personalities, communication styles, strengths, and weaknesses. They may lead differently and approach problems differently. Yet the best leaders all seem to understand one simple truth.

They genuinely care about the people they lead. Not in a soft or permissive way and not in a way that lowers expectations or excuses poor performance.

They care enough to listen, be fair, hold people accountable, and help others succeed.

Gallup has consistently found that managers account for approximately 70 percent of the variance in employee engagement. That statistic should get every leader's attention.

Why?

Because employees do not experience most organizations through the CEO, the executive team, or the company mission and value statements.  

Employees do not judge leaders by their intentions.  They judge leaders by repeated, predictable experiences. 

A leader may intend to be fair, but if standards are applied inconsistently, employees notice. 

A leader may intend to be supportive, but if employees only hear from them when something goes wrong, employees notice.

A leader may intend to be trustworthy, but if their words and actions do not align, employees notice.

Over time, those repeated experiences become the leadership standard people associate with that leader.

There is another reality leaders must confront. Most leaders believe they are fair, approachable, and trustworthy.

Many are.  Some are not.

Leadership is not measured by how we see ourselves. It is measured by how others experience us.

If employees consistently describe a leader differently than the leader describes themselves, there is a disconnect.

That disconnect is often a lack of self-awareness, humility, or both.

We have all known leaders who believed it was their world and everyone else simply lived in it. They rarely questioned themselves. They rarely sought feedback. They often blamed circumstances, employees, or the organization when problems surfaced.

The strongest leaders do the opposite.

They seek feedback, listen carefully, and remain humble enough to know they do not have all the answers.

They have the humility to acknowledge when their actions are not producing the results they intended and take responsibility for correcting course.

Leadership is built on repeated behaviors that create trust.

The leadership standard employees notice is not complicated.

• Ask rather than tell.

• Listen to understand, not to respond.

• Tell the truth with respect.

• Be fair.

• Keep your word.   

• Help people succeed. 

Years from now, when employees reflect on the leaders who influenced their lives and careers, will they think of you?

 More importantly, will they remember you simply as a boss?

 Or will they remember you as someone whose example helped shape the person they became?