Putting People First in Leadership

Most of the discussions around leadership focus on what leaders can do to be more effective. While this is certainly important, it’s also crucial to understand what leaders can do to put people first. Some of the most effective leaders are those who make a point of putting their team members’ needs ahead of their own. They realise that their success depends on the collective success of their team, and they work hard to ensure that everyone has what they need to achieve results.

Building a Personal Connection with Teams

A personal connection between leaders and teams can have a number of benefits. When leaders take an interest in their team members and get to know them on a personal level, it makes them feel appreciated and valued. This can boost morale and increase productivity and engagement. A personal connection can also help build trust and strengthen relationships. When team members trust their leader, they are more likely to be open to new ideas and willing to take risks.

Taking a human centred approach to leadership focuses on building this connection so that leaders understand what drives and inspires their teams. When leaders have this knowledge, they are able to better implement change.  Leaders who put their team’s needs first are also more likely to retain employees and decrease turnover.

If you want to be an effective leader, it’s important to put people first. Focus on building trust and strong relationships with your team. Take an interest in their lives and what motivates them. When you do this, you’ll create a more positive and productive work environment.

“People first leadership is about more than just putting employees’ needs ahead of your own – it’s about understanding how those needs fit into the bigger picture.”

The Impact of People First Leadership

People are integral to successful organisations because they are the ones who make things happen. Leaders may set goals and provide direction, but it’s the employees who put in the hard work to ensure those goals are met. In a high performance culture, each individual’s efforts contribute to the success of the organisation as a whole. This is why it’s so important for leaders to put their team’s needs first.

Equally, when organisations wish for their senior leaders to implement change, they have far greater success when those leaders are invested in driving the change. In order to do this, they must be equipped with a complete understanding of the direction being taken by the business. They must also understand why this change is taking place and how it will help to facilitate organisational growth.

This type of transformative leadership requires an appreciation for both the organisation’s goals and the team’s needs. People first leadership is about more than just putting employees’ needs ahead of your own – it’s about understanding how those needs fit into the bigger picture. Leadership training should, therefore, equip senior leaders with the skills they need to take a human centred approach to their work. This will enable them to create lasting change within their organisations.

Effective leadership is not just about what a leader can do themselves, it’s also about putting people first. When leaders focus on their team members’ needs and take an interest in them as individuals, it builds trust and strengthens relationships. This type of leadership can have a number of benefits for organisations, including increased productivity and morale, and decreased turnover. In order to create lasting change within an organisation, senior leaders must be practised in putting their people first. Leadership development training should equip them with this ability so that they can better understand their team’s needs and how they fit into the bigger picture.

About the Author: The Leadership Sphere

The Leadership Sphere helps small and medium businesses and larger organisations in Australia, in creating value through leadership. The Leadership Sphere provides a humanistic approach to the way it delivers leadership, performance and coaching services. We work with leaders and senior teams who need to gain increased clarity, build capability and ensure contribution at every level in the organisation, and enable a safe, inclusive and  high trust organisation.