Why the Smartest Leaders Give Before They Receive

Give back! Giving is proven to make people feel better about themselves while increasing leadership abilities and influence.

Leaders with keen sense recognize they cannot know everything or stay abreast of every challenge on their own; that is why they strive to assemble teams of individuals more capable than themselves.

1. They Seek to Understand

Leaders tend to put more focus on problem solving and decision making, yet often overlook the significance of having emotional intelligence (EQ). This area encompasses connecting with people and understanding human emotions – all areas covered by emotional intelligence (EQ).

Emotionally intelligent leaders are aware of how their actions impact others, while acknowledging that others may have different viewpoints than themselves. When others disagree with them or when there’s disagreement between themselves and another party, these leaders don’t take offense and admit when wrongs have been committed against someone.

Trust is built through openness and vulnerability, listening for the underlying messages from others’ words while trying to understand other points of view. They encourage dialogue while being open to hearing the truth even if it means hearing unpleasant truths.

Smart leaders also appreciate learning. Knowing they don’t possess all of the answers, instead of trying to impress with their knowledge they ask for assistance and defer to subject matter experts or other leaders on matters which are beyond their realm of expertise.

Leaders must understand why they want certain outcomes, and convey this knowledge to their teams so they can synchronize their thoughts and feelings with that of their organization’s. This will allow everyone in their teams to feel like their contributions are valued by leadership.

Giving first is the surest way to show generosity; doing so will leave the recipient feeling enriched by your action, increasing their likelihood that they’ll give back in return. Sometimes this means as simple as telling someone how much they’re appreciated or making an effort to understand more about what your team members are working on.

2. They Ask Questions

Leaders often become preoccupied with showing off their intelligence. They strive to demonstrate they can make sense of ambiguity, tackle complex problems with ease and acquire new knowledge quickly; but by dedicating all their energy and focus solely to this pursuit they may lose sight of the bigger picture.

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Questions can invite other to provide their perspectives and bring out unique contributions that may otherwise remain unsaid. Great leaders understand that only this approach provides the complete picture of an issue or problem.

Collaboration allows leaders to be secure in their decisions and build trust within their team, which allows them to undertake projects or initiatives with greater chances of success.

Smart leaders recognize they don’t possess all the answers and understand how to tap into the depth of knowledge within their teams. Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, conducted extensive studies of successful and failed organizations; his findings showed that those that outshone had humble leaders who acknowledged they did not possess all of the answers.

Questions encourage employees to verbalize problems, solutions and timelines that arise with projects they’re working on; in doing so they feel more invested and will likely work harder at it, leading to more collaboration, productivity and effectiveness from them in carrying it out – creating an atmosphere conducive to successful collaboration, productivity and effectiveness for the entire business. Furthermore, by asking questions, leaders ensure their staff fully comprehends why decisions were made and are willing to support it in the long run; helping prevent situations similar to Affymetrix in which stock value plummeted dramatically for two quarters!

3. They Defer to Others

Problematic leaders don’t realize that great leadership requires not just intelligence but also deferring to their fellow team members. Some smart leaders believe they must be the smartest person in every room; this approach proves counter-productive – smart leaders realize their team has greater intelligence, capability, and energy than any individual could ever possess.

Effective leaders listen for several moments before offering an immediate reply or responding with their own prepared thoughts. Once an issue has been presented, smart leaders listen before responding or offering further clarity through answering and questioning from team members. This approach allows leaders to gain a greater grasp on it while encouraging team members to learn by doing rather than just listening.

These intelligent leaders understand that to empower their team effectively, the most effective approach is not control but instead getting everyone working on the business rather than in it – that is why the best leaders often hire smarter people than themselves.

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Therefore, they prioritize selecting a diverse team: individuals that differ in terms of age, gender, race, religion, weight, height, favorite food items, past-times, facial hair styles and philosophical views – this ensures all team member’s ideas can be heard freely and openly.

One who does not comprehend this concept can be disastrous to their teams. A leader who thinks they have all of the answers can become arrogant, refusing to let his or her team see how things are getting done. Harvard University leadership experts have noted that humility is the single most crucial characteristic of an effective leader; in contrast, such leaders are known as diminishers as they sap intelligence, capability and energy from their teams.

4. They Ask for Feedback

Smart leaders understand the value of feedback, and make time to provide it to their team members. They schedule formal performance reviews or informal chats over coffee with each team member in order to provide constructive suggestions that will contribute both to their own professional growth as well as that of their people. Feedback can also provide invaluable support in terms of career advancement.

So for instance, let’s say a leader receives feedback from their boss that they are not delegating enough in their current role. Their first reaction might be, “Oh no, she doesn’t think I can handle this role!” Instead of acting defensively and becoming defensive themselves, smart leaders understand that it is normal to feel this way initially and take time to process and evaluate any feedback received.

They should ask questions to clarify the meaning of feedback, then inquire as to if anything else needs to be considered. This allows them to manage their emotions more effectively while buying time to reflect upon it without immediately disagreeing or arguing back – later they can discuss any specific points they disagree with in a more rational fashion.

Leaders can use feedback that’s exactly right to aid their team members. For instance, when giving direct report feedback, leaders might pose this question: “What would it look like if you did this well in the future?” This question encourages her to think ahead about how she might alter their behavior moving forward and can produce intrinsic motivation for change.

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Consistency is key when it comes to providing feedback. Leaders who only deliver it occasionally may meet resistance from employees; by engaging in regular conversations about feedback, leaders and their teams will become more comfortable with this process and better prepared for handling difficult feedback when required.

5. They Make Sure They Listen

Leaders with great technical acumen or expertise may fall prey to a trap if they believe that they alone are enough to drive their careers forward. Leaders who rely solely on this expertise risk overburdening their teams or leading them down unhelpful paths within the business – or worse still becoming trapped themselves within narrow corners where only themselves benefit.

Smart leaders take great care when entering a new organization or role. Their focus should be to understand as much about its culture, including significant events, influential personalities and spoken and unspoken rules. Furthermore, they assess where their own individual skills and strengths fit within this culture without overstating or exaggerating.

They understand that their employees won’t trust them if they only provide answers or make bold assertions, so they make an effort to pose insightful questions, deferring to those closest to an issue for additional insight that goes beyond subject matter expertise.

Smart leaders understand that discussing their previous roles may alienate members in their new company or team, especially as they advance. This is particularly important when they have spent significant time and energy building expertise in past positions where they may have been recognized as experts in their field.

Smart leaders realize they don’t have all the answers, so they tap into collective wisdom by encouraging their staff to think for themselves and come up with solutions on their own. To foster such thinking, these leaders must model openness and honesty while showing employees they welcome criticism or different viewpoints from staff members. Furthermore, these smart leaders empower employees by encouraging risk taking and learning from failure in order to help achieve victory.