Human Relations Leadership Style: Principles and Practice

Introduction: Leading with Honey, Not Vinegar

"You catch more bees with honey than with vinegar." If I had to sum up my philosophy as a leader, perhaps this statement would best express my character as a human relations specialist. While it is easy — and perhaps tempting — to think that leading means shouting, stomping, and giving orders like an autocrat, ultimately the true purpose of leading is to get the job done by using the skills of others and encouraging people to work to their maximum capacity and level of excellence. Ideally, leadership means inspiring others to do what they never knew they were capable of doing.

Getting the job done well means that everyone must be on board, willing and able to devote their time, energy, and resources to an assigned task. Excellence within an organization can be measured by stacking up many small, perfectly executed tasks in a way that makes a greater whole and serves a common mission. People will feel more invested in a process if they are given the opportunity to provide input into how that process is executed and how its mission is framed.

The Power of Participation and Employee Input

Early on in my career, I noticed that people often complained when a directive came down from management — even if it was relatively minor — if that directive was framed as an autocratic order without any consultation with staff. But when people had been solicited for input about the matter, even in something as simple as a schedule change, they were more willing to go along and far less resistant. Why do people stay late at work debating the decorations for the office Christmas party? Perhaps it is because, at some offices, this represents the greatest sense of autonomy workers feel over their daily lives. Channeling that craving for investment in something larger and purposeful into the daily routine and workday is a central goal of a human relations specialist.

While pursuing this leadership style, I have found that subordinates often have excellent ideas about how to increase efficiency. After all, in a restaurant, who knows better how to get food quickly to the table or through the take-out window than the cooks and cashiers? An MBA strolling through the establishment one day, armed with theories, may have little knowledge of the idiosyncrasies of the store's layout, the shifts in customer traffic, or the moods of the staff. Such a person may be far less aware of what really needs to be done than the people who work there every day. It is they who must be consulted, alongside the so-called "experts."

Leading by Example and Rolling Up Your Sleeves

Hierarchies must be transcended when doing so serves the greater good. A human relations specialist leader is always willing to roll up his or her sleeves and pitch in alongside everyone else when the going gets tough. Demonstrating that willingness — to do what the leader is asking everyone else to do — can raise morale far more effectively than a prefabricated speech. A boss who preaches burning the midnight oil but leaves at 5 p.m., abandoning everyone else to labor through a hectic Friday night, will earn little respect. Employees are just as mindful of what their boss is doing as the boss is of what employees are doing. It is essential to walk the walk as well as talk the talk. Research on authentic leadership behavior consistently reinforces the importance of this principle.