Connect and then Lead

This title is from a piece of published work in HBR (2013). It resonates with my thoughts and so here I am sharing my views as a leader.

As we enter into new leadership position in a new organization, we need to keep in mind that the colleagues with whom I have to work are eyeing me with a hawk’s eye. From the chowkidar to the institutional head, each one is trying to gauge me as a person. Am I to be trusted and relied upon?

I am also trying to understand my colleagues as individual persons and assessing their potential to contribute. This is where the HBR article resonates with my thoughts. The first couple of days, I tried to understand who my colleagues were. Where did they graduate from? Who is there in the family?  How do they travel to work? Anything but work was up for discussion. Once I managed to get the connect, it was easier for me to lead them to the work aspects.

A mistake some leaders make in the initial stages is to focus on the “hygiene factors” instead of the “motivational factors”. In 1959, Frederick Herzberg, a behavioural scientist proposed a two-factor theory or the motivator-hygiene theory. Hygiene or maintenance factors include pay, policies, fringe benefits, physical working conditions etc. These factors are meant to reduce dissatisfaction and any increase in the hygiene factors may result in satisfaction but not necessarily motivate people to work better. However, if they are reduced or curtailed, it will definitely lead to dissatisfaction and decrease morale of the work force.

Motivation factors include meaningfulness of the work, freedom to implement strategy (with accountability built in), sense of purpose, recognition for work done, growth opportunities etc. My personal belief is to focus on these factors.

A leader’s competence, strength and credentials will not be enough to carry the whole team with him/her. A foundation of trust is required for exchange and acceptance of ideas. Ultimately it is the team that will execute the leader’s vision. And for a vision to be successfully implemented the leader will have to ensure that it is well articulated and disseminated to the team, accepted by the team and is propelled forward by the leader’s enthusiasm and involvement.

For this we need to connect first and then lead. Only a position in the hierarchy is not enough.