October 6, 2014

Loves Me, Loves Me Not, by Dave Thompson

I still remember elementary school and the field daisy I gave to a classmate as a sign of friendship. She promptly began pulling the petals off with the well-known chant, “He loves me; he loves me not.” Over and over she continued until to my great disappointment, she ended with, “He loves me not.”

Today, many leaders create the same level of disappointment for their team, not by tugging on a daisy, but by frequently pulling apart team member efforts, results and spirit. If you want to hamper the growth and success of your company, continue with the negative, soul-sapping, controlling style that you may think makes the company strong but which conveys the impression “He loves me not.”

An alternative, as Patrick Lencioni notes in his book The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive, involves maintaining a cohesive leadership team. Develop a plan with the team, communicate a positive message, review the objectives and results on a frequent basis, and make thoughtful course corrections in a respectful and appreciative manner. Then step out of their way as you admire — and thus reward — their performance.

You will be glad you engaged your team in a positive manner, as will the team, and not only will the results be more satisfying, but the daisies will remain intact making a beautiful arrangement for all to enjoy. You’ll ensure a working environment for all to succeed. Now, let’s go find a flower vase to display those daisies!