Leadership & Management

Step 4: Pride

Pride in their company and work drives employee engagement, productivity and mental health.

• Am I a role model in the way I show pride in my own work and the contributions of others?
• Do I show that I am proud of my team?
• Do I show pride in the organization's services and community contributions?
• Create your own action plan
• Resources

Am I a role model in the way I show pride in my own work and the contributions of others?

Action Plan

• Be a "quiet" leader not a "heroic" one. Be proud, but speak modestly and energetically about your achievements rather than brag and shout about them. A "quiet" leader sets a positive tone with consistent not volatile behavior and by taking successes - and failures - in stride. Consistent rather than erratic behaviour inspires trust.
• Whether in front of employees or the media, focus on the "team" and the "team effort" when describing your contribution. While this may sound like a hollow cliché, it will be seen as more sincere if you detail just how other members of the team - front office, operations, customer service - supported you and enabled you to make the contribution you did.
• Show that you have a passion for your work and the company that goes far beyond the satisfaction that comes from any financial rewards or status. Be an achiever for the sake of achieving. The rewards are in feeling good about yourself and the contribution you are making.

Do I show that I am proud of my team?

Action Plan

• Acknowledge and recognize employees who showed initiative but came up just a little short (e.g. efforts to develop a cost-cutting procedure contained hidden costs). Focus on the commitment and determination the employee showed, not the failure of the initiative, thus instilling pride in the effort regardless of the outcome.
• Walk the shop floor regularly, engaging individual employees in conversation. Give employees a verbal "pat on the back" or ask them to explain some recent achievement you've heard about.

Do I show pride in the organization's services and community contributions?

Action Plan

• Make the company visible in the community, whether it's by sponsoring a sports team or a park's spring clean-up. Choose activities that reflect your social responsibility or values. Ask employees for their input on the type of activity they would feel proud to support.
• Develop a slogan that can be incorporated into the company's signature and logo. Ensure it positions your company as contributing to the betterment of your community.
• Try to get your message into the media by focusing on the benefit to the community. Remember to give credit to your employees.

Create your own action plan

Leadership Matters-Foster Company Pride [PDF]

Resources

The following are links to resources that may be of interest to you. If you click on a link you may be entering a third party website not maintained or controlled in any way by Great-West Life.