Employees are the Heart of an Organization - July 2009

"Good leaders make people feel they are at the heart of things, not at the periphery."
Fred Kofman.

How do leaders ensure that employees feel they are at the heart of things?

  • By humbly respecting employees
  • By providing employees with relevant information, the status of projects, market issues, strategy sessions, operations and policies
  • By inviting input and openly listening
  • By trusting employees to make decisions that support the best interests of the company and be accountable for their decisions
  • By giving employees room to do their jobs and not micromanaging them

Great leaders engage the heart and minds of their employees.

I was at a session at the Banff Center about the role of the conductor in the boardroom. I asked one of the players what made a great conductor from his viewpoint.

He said,"A conductor who respects me, is humble, doesn’t let his ego get in the way of the position and makes me feel safe and supported". I found his answers to have profound applicability to business leaders. I hope you do too.

Copyright © Mary-Ann Owens 2009
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