One of the most critical components, in fact, perhaps the most critical component of leadership success is the ability to connect with people. You cannot lead without connecting. Connection is an expression of leader compassion, trust, security, and hope.
You can care for people without leading them.
You can never lead people without caring for them.
If your leadership is all about targets, efficiencies, and execution, you may attain successful outcomes but only through the begrudging efforts of your people. Connection with people is a strategy guaranteed to drive organizational performance. Connection is the linkage experienced by people who share similarities, such as the same friends and associates, interests and concerns, careers, status in life, employers and so on.
Living in the electronic age, communication via social media, texting, email or other electronic means has taken the place of much of our daily interactions. In today’s world we tend to depreciate the value of direct contact more than in the past. Direct contact with other people cannot be replaced or underestimated to create connection, build collaboration, and drive performance. Direct contact with others builds and strengthens connections. People still want and need to create and sustain personal relationships, particularly in the workplace, to define or confirm their personal and professional identity and worth.
A decade ago, research indicated that executives were looking for a quick fix to build greater connection with their workforce. Many executives believed that all it took was an investment in a new social technology to provide them with the answer they seek in building a more collaborative culture. Employees, on the other hand, are often suspicious of these tools. The research found employees value intangibles in the workplace — such as candid communication and direct access to management as critical elements of connection, access to one-on-one coaching (real or virtual)— while executives value tangibles, including competitive compensation and financial performance as means to a more productive organization.
Today, executives understand the necessity for the ‘personal’ time with employees. Offering personal development/coaching time to employees has earned huge traction in the fight to keep employees engaged and productive. Learning the skill of Positive Presence comes with a deep understanding of self, and how you relate to your work environment. It is an empowering mental model that puts the person in total control of their thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, and actions.
Catherine is the President and CEO of CORPORATE HARMONY, providing virtual solutions for leadership development and organizational culture change. Her leadership and coaching experience as a Project Manager in an ever-changing, fast moving technological organization with unrelenting demands drove her to the realization that a positive mindset and strength-building behaviors are essential for today’s complex and chaotic organizational systems. CORPORATE HARMONY’s virtual platform of programs, coaching and performance measurement, is an innovative online technology of tested proprietary content. The world-class content of CORPORATE HARMONY’s Positive Presence Program develops the skill of ‘Positive Presence’ and the necessary ‘Positive Presence Behaviour Competencies’ for maintaining a positive and energized mindset and increased performance in today’s complex work environment, and leading to a culture of collaboration and connection. Catherine’s vision for Corporate Harmony is to bring the skill of “Positive Presence” to the corporate world as it becomes more complex, ambiguous and chaotic. Catherine is uniquely positioned to impact organizations’ productivity and long term success, with her powerful vision of eliminating bad stress from every workplace around the globe, bringing purpose into the people equation to promote healthy, productive and meaningful work cultures and turn the tide on the neglect of mental health on a global scale. Catherine is author of the book: “CORPORATE HARMONY – The Performance Link for Today’s Modern Organization” Catherine can be reached at: Catherine.Osborne@corporateharmony.ca or go to ‘contact us’ on our website www.corporateharmony.ca. Catherine is available for consultation, and can be reached by 519-695-3407.