5 Pillars of People First Leadership
- Bea
- Mar 30, 2022
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 15, 2022
Your guide to putting your people first while building a profitable business or nonprofit.
Compassion + Accountability = Success
People look to their leaders for support and mentorship. They need to know that you see them as full human beings with complex lives. They need to know that it’s okay to be sick, have an off day, or make a mistake. They also need to know that you see their potential and you will respectfully push them to live up to it.
You can see when someone is in a professional rut or showing habits and behaviors that are counterproductive to their professional success. A strong leader shows compassion for the humans on their team and respectfully holds them accountable to challenging themselves and leveling up. When you see their potential, name it, and give them the tools to make it happen, they will amaze you with what they can do!
Thriving Wages for All
This is not a mind bending surprise. People need to make enough money that they can afford to live. When I say “afford to live” I do not mean just the basics like housing, food, healthcare and transportation. I mean they should be able to afford to have fun, indulge in their hobbies, and take vacations. Outdated leadership guides would have you thinking that the goal is to extract the maximum amount of work from a person for the least amount of pay. We know that paying a poverty wage in the name of maximum profit is unethical and abusive. That doesn’t fly anymore.
People first leaders prioritize thriving wages for every employee.
We’re savvy enough to build organizations that are profitable AND pay people well. When people are secure financially, they have the mental and emotional capacity to show up fully in service to the organization's mission. Everybody wins when we have thriving wages for all.
Organic Culture Rules
We all know that a healthy culture is key to an organization’s success. We also know that leaders are key to ensuring a healthy culture. AND…Good news! The culture isn’t all on you! The people on your team are building their own culture, with or without you. They’re establishing norms, making inside jokes, and talking to each other about what it really means to be an employee at your business. You’re either in on it or it’s happening behind your back.
Often leaders will try to control culture instead of influencing it. This happens when you do things like lay down the rules and demand everyone comply or make decisions without consulting the people whose jobs are affected. People don’t respond well to this. Instead, we want to see leaders observing the culture and contributing to it by asking questions and modeling behavior. Let the culture your people have already developed organically lead the way and see where you fit in. The smart, joyful, committed people in your organization are leaders too!
Know Your Strength
Leaders, your people are observing you with a microscope and listening to you through a megaphone. Everything you do is amplified. This one is a tough one…people first leadership means you don’t get to be quite as human as everyone else. Your offhand comment can have serious consequences for your people. Your lack of awareness can damage your reputation with your team.
This doesn’t mean you can’t make mistakes or have a bad day. It just means that, when you do, it’s important to acknowledge, apologize, name how you will change your actions moving forward, and then DO THAT. Make it clear through your words and behavior that you will listen to feedback from your team and adjust your choices accordingly. Understand that your people are impacted by your every move in ways you might not realize. Check in with them often, don’t just wait for them to come to you. The strength you have as a leader can be used to build it big or tear it down, your actions will show your intentions.
Advocacy Matters
Great leaders care about politics! This might be the most annoying news we have for you. Many leaders would much rather just focus on their business and not worry about all that nonsense happening in politics. Here’s the deal, politics affect you and your employees in significant ways. What’s happening in your state legislature and at the federal level will directly impact your business. It’s important for you to understand these issues and engage with your elected officials to tell them what you think.
For example, if we had universal access to Medicaid in America, you wouldn’t have to pay for health insurance for your employees. That would free up a lot of money to grow your business or pay your people more! Don’t let bad legislation happen to you and don’t ignore opportunities to support legislation that could make life better for your people. Get involved! It’s what a great leader would do.