It increasingly feels to me like we are losing our natural responsibility to one another. Maybe it’s a function of the COVID-19 pandemic? Perhaps it’s the toxic political environment? Maybe it’s just the leadership energy of the past few years? Maybe it’s all the above or something else? I’m not sure, but it bothers me.
We are fragmenting and dividing from each other at an alarming rate. As this chasm grows, things become more tribal, and we lose our universal human connection. This development is detrimental to society. We need leaders to reclaim the positive leadership narrative and model responsible behavior. We need leaders in charge who genuinely care about other people and want to make the world a better place. We need to adopt a more win-win relationship mindset.
As a leader, you are responsible for the following:
- Putting your ego needs behind the good of the organization
- Modeling appropriate professional leadership behavior, i.e., leading by example
- Creating a safe and ethical work environment for your employees
- Providing equal opportunity regardless of race or gender
- Ensuring your products and/or services do not harm their end-users
- Being a wise steward of your financial resources to protect your economic viability
- Managing your market/industry risks responsibly
- Giving your employees the tools/training that they need to be successful
- Fulfilling your contractual obligations and operating within the guidelines of the law
- Adding and not subtracting value from the communities in which you operate
I’ve always believed that social change begins at the grassroots level. Who could be more suited to address this leadership dysfunction than our local leaders? Leadership does imply professional, personal, and civic responsibility. How a leader approaches these responsibilities can make a significant difference. It will create a ripple effect – one way or another.