016: What Your Team Needs to Thrive, Part 2: Safe Leadership

The Bill Perry Show

Are you a safe leader?

Can your team members approach you with concerns and challenges without being afraid of your response?

In this series, we’re focusing on your employees’ top three needs. Number two: a safe leader.

Job stress and anxiety don’t come from the actual work but from uncaring and unaware leaders. As a leader, you can develop a team of happy employees who love their jobs. Do this by facilitating open communication, team productivity, and employee engagement.

In unhealthy work cultures, leaders are volatile and unpredictable. Ineffective leaders aren’t always super angry or demeaning; sometimes they withdraw and stop offering support. I call this an eggshell culture, where people are very careful not to say what they are thinking.

In eggshell cultures, team members rarely offer creative or innovative suggestions. Meanwhile, leaders wonder why they don’t get greater effort from their people. A truly engaged team won’t be too careful to share their ideas. They will propel your vision and make real impact.

Courageous leaders recognize that the culture of their organization begins with them. Listen in for ways that you can make employees feel safe.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why research shows that employees would rather be unemployed than work with volatile leaders and managers.
• Ways that a healthy work culture and appreciation can reduce stress and anxiety at work.
• Tips for identifying your own stress responses and keeping your cool in high-pressure situations.
• How one firm motivated employees to produce higher-quality work and increased client satisfaction.