How to Make Decisions That Let Your People Know They Are Safe, Respected and Appreciated

It does not matter what business you are in, there is only one asset that appreciates over time… your people. This last year has been full of fear, uncertainty and doubt for everyone. Businesses have had to pivot and adjust – some to ‘drought’ as business disappeared and some to ‘feasting’ as business went to record highs. Leaders have had to make decisions that have not been made before.

It’s in our DNA

One thing that is common though is that people around the globe have the same primitive human drivers. We all want to feel physically and psychologically safe, important, respected and appreciated. Our DNA drives us to be in groups where we feel connected to each other, which gives us a sense of belonging. We are tribal. The various tribes that we belong to are our families, our friends and our work colleagues (to name a few). It is part of who we are. This connection also drives the release of healthy brain chemistry (serotonin, endorphins, oxytocin and dopamine which drives higher levels of productivity).

Knowing this, leaders now – more than ever – need to make decisions not based on data and spreadsheets, but what will drive higher levels of safety (physically and emotionally), respect and appreciation with your work ‘tribe’. This sense of connection and belonging gives people a purpose or a cause that is more powerful than salary and bonuses. This same sense of connection and belonging creates a powerful magnet to attract and retain great talent (I say “attract” because people feel it when they walk into your business).

What is your Action List?

Here’s mine:

1. The care of your people must be your primary objective in challenging times. Prioritize your people as they truly are the heart of your business.  People that feel safe, respected and appreciated drive higher levels of engagement and customer satisfaction.
2. Be accountable. If you want your people to be accountable, they need to see you leading the way. Hypocrisy is fatal in leadership.
3. Be vulnerable, open and honest. When you make mistakes own up to them. This drives a higher level of trust from your people when they see that you are human too.
4. Give the Why. When people understand the Why behind every what and how, they engage at a deeper level. When they don’t understand the why, they will feel psychologically threatened.
5. Pause before you react. Emotional Intelligence is one of your most valuable leadership tools. When you take a short pause before you react or respond to a challenge or issue, you engage a higher level of critical thinking without destructive emotion.
6. Lean into your team. Trust in your people builds trust in you, and it energizes your team.

Robert Murray is a Vancouver, BC based Business Strategy Consultant, #1 Best Selling Author, International Keynote Speaker, and TEC Top Speaker of the Year for 2018. For further advice, insight and inspiration on how to unlock your inner leader, follow Robert on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

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