TEDTalks: Simon Sinek--Why good leaders make you feel safe
This was such an incredible video! Here are a few pointers I picked up from it.
1) Love may be a deep leadership emotion because an effective leader cares for their followers. Simon Sinek mentioned a story where a top executive named Bob was faced with a decision to lay off some of his employees. Bob viewed his employees as "hearts" instead of just employees. To be able to say that, a leader must actually care for the those that follow them. Bob chose to creatively arrange a way to save the company money by using the idea of furlough days without laying off any of his employees. Bob said, "It is better that we should all suffer a little than any of us should have to suffer a lot" (2010). When Bob did this, the morale of the company went up. "Great leaders would never sacrifice the people to save the numbers, they would sacrifice the numbers to save the people" (2010). This is very important for leaders to understand because when a follower recognizes this, they will work through the fire to get the job done for their leader.
2) If the working environment is wrong, we spend time trying to protect ourselves from one another rather than pulling together. When a leader is trusted and communicates it to their followers, that begins a workplace culture "trust and cooperation" (2010). When there is trust, people will work hard and produce work in great quality because they feel safe and protected. "It is the leader that sets the tone" (2010). Another idea that stood out to me was when Simon Sinek spoke about leaders providing their followers with opportunities along with discipling them when necessary. I need to learn how to balance my niceness with discipline when needed.
3) The components of a circle of safety are simple; danger surrounds a "circle of safety" (2010). Danger can mean anything from competition to backstabbing. The circle signifies an area where people are joined together to protect each other and look out for each other.
4) Simon Sinek spoke about authorities vs. leaders. "We do what they say because they have authority over us. But we would not follow them. This is a strong statement because it reminds me that a leader is only a leader when someone chooses to follow them with their heart and not because they must. It is my goal as a leader to make sure I build a "circle of safety" (2010) where my followers can trust that I will have their backs. Within the workplace, it should be known that each person will look out for the person on their left and their right. It is my responsibility to create an atmosphere like that. Simon Sinek says that when we all feel safe inside of an organization we naturally pull together our talents and strengths working tirelessly to face the dangers that seize the opportunities. This is my goal.
References
TEDTalks: Simon Sinek--Why good leaders make you feel safe [Video file]. (2010). Retrieved May 17, 2017, from https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=18566&xtid=66138
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