A boss who preaches burning the midnight oil but goes home at 5pm, leaving everyone else to labor long hours on a hectic Friday night, will garner little respect. Employees are just as mindful of what their boss is doing as he or she is of what employees are doing. It is essential to 'walk the walk' as well as 'talk the talk.'
Showing care and concern cannot be underestimated, either. Helping employees through difficult times is also a way to foster loyalty to an organization. Who will be more loyal, an employee who is forced to punch a clock, regardless of what is going on at home, or an employee whose company shows respect for her need for flex time, to take care of her young daughter at home? An employee who feels that his or her company cares is less likely to take needless sick days, to be late, and to take advantage of the good graces of his or her employer.
Taking an interest in employees also means spotting and nurturing top talent. Human talent is every company's greatest resource, and a participative and boundary-crossing style enables managers to understand what employees are most concerned about improving their careers and standing at the company. By moving in their day-to-day life through the many levels of hierarchy at the company, mangers can spot talent at every level. They must give talented performers the necessary resources to develop their skills...
Ignore talent, and it will flow elsewhere -- to your competitors!
Like many people with my leadership style, although not strictly part of the type description, I would like to think that my leadership has charismatic elements to it, even if my decisions are grounded in practicality and humanity. I think that taking a one-on-one approach with people and encouraging them to want to do what they need to do is the most effective way to lead. The danger with the human relations specialist leadership style is that it can be too collaborative, and at times too lax, if too much authority is delegated and there is not enough supervision of employee's activities. Also, the company must be on-board with this type of style, and not ignore the human relations specialist's desire to use education, delegation, participative leadership, consultation, and flexible benefits as part of the carrots to encourage people to reach a higher level of performance. All leadership styles are to some degree contextual, and the organization where one is a leader will invariably influence how that style is executed. However, that is one reason that I have always sought out organizations that regard human beings as valuable resources, and not merely cogs in a machine. I know I am at my best when I feel that my team is functioning at their best.
