In order to be first, we must first BE SECOND!

As leaders we find ourselves in very powerful positions. The beauty is that we get to choose how we use that power. We can use our found power to edify and grow people or we can use it to deflate and disengage people. On one hand, we can use it to show everyone around us how mighty and important we are, making snap decisions that effect lives with little to no feedback from those that our decisions actually effect. On-the-other-hand, we can make the decision to use our power to engage our staff and grow a sense of purpose among the teams that we serve. The key word in this is "serve". When I work with companies on Leadership Development projects, especially with newer managers, many times I find that the default mindset is to be known as the "boss" rather than "leader" or more importantly "coach". It's no fault of their own. Many manager's have learned how to be "leaders" from bosses of the past. Many new manager's have been bullied by previous bosses for so long that they think its time for them to get a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T and come in with an iron fist. Even worse some are being coached by their boss that the way to success is through idle threats, micromanagement, and letting everyone know who is in charge. Whether you are a brand new leader or have been in your leadership role for decades, you can get a lot of growth by focusing on 3 little words... "I AM SECOND" Do you know what you call a manager without a team? They're called employees. If the one thing that makes you a manager is your team, doesn't it make sense that you would protect your most precious asset? Did you know that nearly 60% of all voluntary separations is the employee firing their manager? Now I'm not saying that you can please everybody all the time but if you are living SECOND, you will have a group of individuals that will understand when you have to make tough decisions, have your back in a times of need, and remain loyal to you, your team mission, and their fellow teammates. 3 Ways to live SECOND in the workplace: 1. Know that the higher you climb on the corporate ladder, the more of a servant you become! This mentality is critical to living SECOND. If you have manager's under you, then you are a servant to both manager and employee. If you have 2 levels of managers below you, then you are a servant to manager 1, manager 2, and front-line employees. It is vital that you understand and accept this fact. 2. Embrace your new found role of "Servant" rather than "BOSS". As a servant to our teams, our role is not to boss them around but instead provide them with everything they need in order to successfully complete their jobs. Support them when they need support and coach them when they need help. We must be willing to ask them questions about what it is that they need and care about them as a person. 3. Put others ahead of yourself. As a leader, when we are living SECOND we need to understand that we no longer matter and don't exist. The only thing that matters is the TEAM. Don't edify yourself in front of the team and never take credit for their work. As a leader that lives SECOND, we must be willing to take responsibility for the team's failures and never take credit for the team's successes. This principle of I AM SECOND has been proven effective by society, large corporations, small organizations, and even families. It has been a principle that has been around thousands of years. It's a principle that actually works. If you truly begin to live SECOND starting now, you will find your team more effective, loyal, and running like the well-oiled machine you envision. Posted by: Eric Messer - Business Coach, Sales Mentor, Speaker - Milwaukee, WI. www.MyBusinessCoachingCenter.com