I have had the privilege to work with great leaders during my decade long professional career. Each one of them adding a new dimension and perspective to my unfolding brand and identity. While there might not be a rule of thumb for leadership, three key themes have emerged for me as non-negotiables for the kind of authentic leadership that I personally admire and work environment that inspire me. I admire environments where these attributes are nurtured and with each day the cornerstone of my evolving career and leadership journey.
- Culture: Positively contributing and helping to shape a healthy, cross-functional, inclusive, fun, agile and ownership mindset work environment every step of the way. A practical belief of mine is that it all starts with the people and the culture that binds them together. They are the engines that keep the ball rolling hence important to create an environment where they can thrive and excel but also engaged to take on the present and future challenges.
- Excellence: Driving keen attention to details, challenging the statusquo with facts/logic and fresh perspectives, winning and positive mentality that reflect on the business and customer outcomes. If the engine (read as people and culture) is up and running, striving for excellence becomes attainable. However takes a strong resolve to constantly push the boundaries and tow the fine balance between perfection and optimal outcomes. Constantly probing to do it better the next time.
- Legacy: Turning a blank page into a seed of purpose, turning good into great and great into a legacy and hopefully setting the pace for years to come and creating a pathway for others to follow. With the engine running at optimal levels, it’s all about pushing the boundaries and building for tomorrow. Solving for today is good enough but how about tomorrow? The consistent intention and infinite game should be all about legacies.
A lot of research have gone into what good leadership and a healthy work environment looks like. And while the findings and outcomes would always have strong merits, I do believe that the above three pillars cut across and will continually align with the prescribed guidance.
What are your leadership and winning work environment must-haves?
BJA | TDM 