Page 61 - Appreciative Leadership

34 Appreciative Leadership

your measures of a job well done. The people we talked with repeatedly

said that effective leaders—the people they want to follow—clearly
communicate what they expect, and they consistently recognize
people for meeting those expectations. Appreciative leaders convey
expectations and provide direction by putting their values into ques-
tions that direct the thinking and action of those with whom they
work. A warehouse manager told us how she put her core value of
“creativity” into a question she asked her team:

Sales had been especially good, and the warehouse had
three times as much merchandise to deliver the following
week than usual. Rather than making a decision and telling
the team what to do, I gathered them together, described
the challenge, and asked them a question: “What creative
ideas do you have for how we might handle this situation?”
Responses were both creative and practical: “I’ll work all
seven days next week.” “We could all work on Sunday and
then have dinner together.” “We could hire a moving com-
pany.” “Some of our teenage sons might want to help out for
the week.” I was amazed by people’s creativity and commit-
ment! By their responses I also learned how family oriented
they all were.

When sharing her story with us, this woman said, “It works. If you
ask for what you want, you really can get it.” Not only did the following
week go smoothly. It also elevated the team to a new level of perfor-
mance in which they regularly enjoyed helping each other fi nd new
and creative ways to do their work. What was the team’s reward for
their job well done? They were given the opportunity to discuss—and

the budget to act on—another value-based question: “How might we
creatively engage our families in celebration of our success?” As this
story shows, appreciative leaders express what is important to them