Coaching an executive recently, he told me that his CEO had a way of making people feel smaller instead of taller. That really hit me. It was as if my client was now coaching ME. So I started asking this question:
When I come into the presence of those I lead, do they feel taller, or do they feel smaller?
Leadership is about the team. It’s about those we lead.
So, how do we make people feel taller or smaller? Here are a few things…. do you have any to add?
To make people feel SMALLER, try this:
- Talk down to them.
- Interrupt them.
- Dismiss their ideas.
- Zone out on them while they are talking.
- Rebuke them in front of others.
To make them feel TALLER, try some of this:
- Acknowledge them when they enter the room.
- Listen actively and intently to them.
- Praise their efforts in front of others.
- Compliment them on something simple.
- Assign them something important to you with confidence.
Those things don’t seem so hard, do they? Will we get more out of our team if they feel tall?
I could go on, but I’d rather hear YOUR ideas. Add to the list!