The Result of Connections and Emotional Intelligence
Whether you have a small team or work for a large organization and have a broader team, the importance of connection and transparency remains the same.
When a leader at any level truly had done the work (and believe me, it takes work) to connect with his or her people, you witness sincere loyalty, appreciation, and work ethic.
I remember years ago (1994 or 1995 to be exact) hearing what employees did to show kindness to Herb Kelleher, former Co-Founder and CEO of Southwest Airlines on Boss’s Day and being amazed. They all pitched in to run a full page ad in USA Today addressing Kelleher with the below message.
“Thanks, Herb…
For remembering every one of our names
For supporting the Ronald McDonald House
For helping load baggage on Thanksgiving
For giving everyone a hug (and we mean everyone)
For listening
For running a profitable, major airline
For singing at our holiday party
For letting us wear shorts and sneakers to work
For golfing at the LUV Classic with only one club
For riding your Harley Davidson into Southwest Headquarters
For being a friend, not just a boss
Happy Boss’s Day for each of your 16,000 employees!”
A display of affection like that occurs when a leader has worked hard to connect with his people. This week, don’t underestimate the importance of building relational bridges between yourself and the people you work with.
Here’s to connecting withy our team!
—Steve
As a master storyteller, Steve has unparalleled ability to communicate dynamic business and leadership truths through stories, anecdotes and humor. Harness the power of the “number one” predictor of professional success, impact, leadership, high performance and sustainable relationships in business and life. Steve’s highest rated keynote presentation.
To book Steve today, contact Michelle Joyce!
(For information on keynote presentations, team workshops, and one on one coaching.)
“The purpose of Leadership Quest is to help professionals develop their personal leadership, vision and emotional intelligence. Everyday I strive to help leaders and teams achieve their desired goals in sales productivity, leadership, time maximization, and life-balance. ”
About the Author
Steve Gutzler is the President of Leadership Quest, a Seattle-based leadership development company. Steve is a dynamic, highly-sought-after speaker who has delivered more than 2,500 presentations to a list of clients including Microsoft, Starbucks, the Seattle Seahawks, Pandora Radio, Boeing, Cisco, Starwood Corporation, the Ritz Carlton group, and the U.S. Social Security Administration. He recently was voted #1 by the readership of Huffington Post as the Most Inspirational Leader on Social Media.
A published author on leadership and emotional intelligence, Steve resides near Seattle with his wife Julie where they enjoy time with their three adult children and six grandchildren.
