Sanctity of Leadership

I once had to let a senior administrator go. Naturally, I was very anxious about the meeting. It’s never a good feeling when you  have to deliver this type of news to an employee. 

I did what I was trained to do - kept it short, sweet, and to the point. More so for my sake than his. He walked out and I breathed a deep sigh of relief - while he was probably gasping for air. 

When I got up to leave my office and walk to my car, I saw him through a classroom window, alone, eyes closed, straight posture, praying to God. And that’s when it hit me. 

There is a sanctity to our leadership. Work is where people spend most of their waking hours. It’s what they discuss with their spouses, partners, and friends over dinner and drinks. It’s what they plan for, and think about. It’s what they plan their family vacations and school carpools around. It’s also what they talk to God about!

Research shows that the culture we create at work can either make someone look forward to waking up, or have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning. It can offer a support network, or instigate loneliness. Work can offer a sense of pride or bring on feelings of shame. It can make us feel alive, or trigger physical and mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and heart disease. 

As leaders, we have a responsibility towards the culture we create. We have an obligation to ensure that people are healthy and engaged, that they look forward to coming to work, that they feel great about the work they are doing, and most importantly, that they feel great about themselves. We have a responsibility to invest time and resources in each of the people on our team. We have a sacred obligation to think as much about our people and their development as our people think about work. 

All leaders want to be on the positive side of this. To do this, we need to consider: 

What proactive steps have we taken lately to ensure that the culture we want is the culture that exists in our organization? 

What steps have we taken to ensure that our people feel challenged, invigorated, and supported? 

What feedback have we provided to our people as an opportunity for reflection and growth before the challenges rose to a level of separation? 

Whatever steps we are taking… How do we know it’s working?