Principled Leadership or Unprincipled Leadership - Where's the Gong?

Watching political leaders wrangle for position, launch smear campaigns and talk trash about each other sure fires up the leadership coach in me. Grown adults identified as so-called “leaders” who choose bully tactics, intimidation and demeaning others as their campaign strategy gets to me every. single. time!
 
The Canadian province where I live is currently embroiled in a smear-filled provincial election fraught with insults and put-downs; it is such a miserable and appalling ‘gong show’ - wish I could bong the gong to put an end to this conduct! 
 
I am not naïve enough to think anyone could simply fix what seems to be wrong with such political behaviour overnight but I hope I live long enough to witness a group of leaders stand and face the masses, clearly state their position, demonstrate what they believe in (without being wishy-washy) and then once elected, set a concrete plan working to get it done in a professional “principled” fashion.
 
In my books, everyone in a leadership position, regardless if they’re running for office or managing a team of 2-20,000 people can be a better leader by leading with principles.
 
My Kind of Principled Leadership

• Set vision with values - Develop a longer term and lofty end goal, big picture wise. Be clear about what success looks like when the goal(s) is reached. Clarify the code of behaviour you expect people to demonstrate.  Model and reinforce those values in everything YOU do so that people on your team see you act appropriately as a part of normal course of business, showing that values are not just words on a page.

• Treat your people right – From the moment you meet them until the day either you or they leave the company, give people your attention, be considerate, show thankfulness and give them the right guidance for their role (or level) with enough space and autonomy to get their work done well.

• Seek feedback and act on it – In my experience many people leaders think they seek feedback; they ask their people in general terms 'how's it going'; they tell everyone they have an ‘open door’ - just come talk to me; they may even ask directly for feedback how they are doing as a leader. These are all good but frequently these methods miss the mark for obtaining really candid and honest, actionable feedback.  Many leaders aren't prepared to accept candour or how to acknowledge or act on it when they actually hear something they don’t like or agree with.  The result – they live in a naive happy little, yet precarious bubble with potential to burst when good people leave their team.

 
Note: Seeking, receiving and acting on feedback are skills many of us need to develop further. If you have yet to receive constructive criticism from your people about YOU, it is a good sign you have room to grow. If you have received it, consider it a great gift! Now, how did you address it?

• Be a legacy builder – to me, building a legacy involves planning how to replace YOU while doing impactful work. Whether you’re a corporate leader or an entrepreneur, build succession into your business mindset. It is a critical failure point for a thriving small business if someone can’t pick up the reigns when you’re not around. In a corporate environment, absence of developing succession talent can be a good reason to ‘kick-you-to-the-curb’. Great leaders build other leaders, not just workers. Most businesses I’ve worked with in the past have gone out of their way to source, recruit and cultivate leaders who could build other leaders.  It is simply best practice.

 
The Core Principles in Action
One senior level corporate leader I worked with (Katrina McGee….yah, not her real name) truly exemplified the core principles I look for as a Principled Leader.
 
Such a pleasure to work with. I recall one time we were working on a very sensitive and difficult message about a pending reorganization (sadly, one of many). It was a very stress-filled period for her. She painstakingly agonized about every change to the department and fretted over each and every word choice because she personally felt the impact of the tough decisions being made – people truly mattered to her. 
 
We were working in her office around 9pm at night, long after others had gone home, when we heard the cleaner in the outer office area singing quite passionately to himself with headphones on. He passed by her door a couple of times - clearly he hadn’t noticed us but we did him. Instead of getting annoyed at the “I hope he buys you flowers” being belted out, she asked if we could take a quick break.
 
She collected up the garbage from around her room and grabbed a fresh bottle of water from her sideboard and went to the outer office. She startled him as she emptied her bin into his cart and then took a moment to chat, giving him the bottle of water and acknowledged his singing prowess. It was obvious they had spoken before as they shared a little chuckle before she returned to the office.
 
You see, she treated everyone with that level of respect and consideration - from the cleaner to every member of her global team to her C-suite colleagues. So genuine was her care for everyone that I can honestly say anybody who ever had the opportunity to work with her would go to the end of the earth to support her agenda.  A master at Principled Leadership I would say!
 
I know most of you want to be that kind of leader too. Here are some of the core principles that make all the difference to the teams who look to you as a leader:
 
People Matter
Principled Leaders put the interests of people first.  Their every action sends a message that everyone is equal and their ideas and opinions matter.  It doesn’t mean they will do everything people want, but they ensure their teams feel heard and acknowledged.
 
Respect is Earned
Principled Leaders operate with respect for others in everything they do – there is no put down, no intimidation or bullying. They gain the respect of others by treating others fairly and with respect, regardless of their position.
 
Attitude Counts
Principled Leaders have a positive attitude. They act in a positive, genuine manner, even during some of the toughest times, ensuring everyone remains calm and productive.
 
Consistency is the Key
Principled Leaders are who they are regardless of the situation. Whether riding the elevator, walking through the office or sitting in a board meeting, their every move is consistent and in-line with their good character.
 
Curiosity is a Game Changer
Principled Leaders love learning and knowing but will acknowledge openly they actually don’t know everything. They ask a million questions of people – how does that work, why does that happen, why can’t we do that, how can we make it happen. This inquisitiveness comes in handy, seldom are they duped and inevitably they know exactly who to go to if help is needed because they understand the roles/process in their team as well as other groups.
 
Delivering is their Jam
Principled Leaders are obsessed with getting done what they set out to do. They are doggedly determined. They make sure all of their team understand the mission and remain steadfast in overcoming whatever obstacles are in the way to deliver on their promises.
 
Can you measure up to being a Principled Leader? Of course you can! You’re likely well on your way if you took time out to read this article and thought about what you currently do!
 
Keep Dots Leadership Solutions in mind as you determine your own development needs and plans for improvement. I’d like to be your personal and confidential leadership development guide. My coaching clients will tell you I hold them accountable to deliver against any goals they set passing along many tips and tactics to help them be a Principled Leader.

​My style is direct (don't worry, I won't bong the gong on you), yet highly supportive and I bring 25+ years of experience working with leaders from many different industries both big and small – give me a call or drop me an email when you’re ready.