What Does Your Picture Look Like?

Imagine for a moment that you're an invisible presence at the office. You could walk through the walls and witness firsthand the impact of your leadership on your team. You could read their thoughts, feel their emotions. What would you never want to see? What would you never want them to feel?

Not exhaustion, obviously, because you know that hard work is part of any job. Not frustration—within reason—because that too is part of the daily grind. But you would never want them to feel disrespected, unheard, or that their potential was being squandered. You'd never want them to think that the team's success was riding solely on their tired backs while you coasted. Or that they had a burning idea but were too intimidated by you to voice it. You would never want them to think you were too aloof to understand their struggles or that you valued the project more than their well-being.

Feels like basic decency, right? But let's be real for a second. If you observed your leadership style, your actions, do they echo what you claim to value? When they came to you with an issue, did you actually listen? Or did you jump in with a rebuke or a dismissive wave of the hand? Is your criticism more abundant than your encouragement? Do you sulk or vent your frustrations on them because, maybe, you've got your own insecurities? You drop the ball, you say things in the heat of the moment.

Every leader does this. We create an environment that if we knew a friend or a loved one was subjected to, we'd be outraged. We do it because we’re not conscious enough of the ripple effects of our actions, because we underestimate the weight of our role. And that's not okay. We can do better. We have to do better.

Imagine you could absorb the world from inside your team member's psyche. Now look at their leader—look at the way you conduct yourself. Is the picture one of mutual respect, of inspired effort? Or does it tell a different, more sobering story?

Accountability in leadership isn't just about holding your team responsible; it’s also about being accountable for the culture, the emotional landscape, you cultivate. If you wouldn't want your kids to experience it, why on earth would it be good enough for the people who count on you professionally? Think about it.