Page 32 - Fearless Leadership

What It Means to Be a Fearless Leader 19

2. Do you provide individuals and teams with the resources and
tools to learn, standardize, and integrate new behaviors?

I am not referring to a list of competencies, strengths, or values. I am
referring to a precise and clear list of behaviors that individuals and teams
can learn. Most organizations do not have uniform, consistent, and stan-
dard behaviors, and they do not provide people with a means to learn new
skills. When stress and uncertainty are high, people need a stable set of
rules that define how they engage. Shared behaviors unite and inspire peo-
ple. They allow everyone to be powerful and resourceful in addressing and
resolving issues and in advancing the business agenda. In this dynamic cul-
ture, people are committed to the success of each other and do not allow
unproductive behaviors to undermine business results.
The following are common, but inaccurate, assumptions that leaders
make:

“Our company values describe our behavioral expectations.”
Wrong. Company values provide important guiding concepts and
principles; however, they do not delineate behavior. People need
shared behavioral standards to translate your company’s values into
action that can be applied in day-to-day business interactions—
and you need to lead the way by telling them explicitly what those
standards are.
“Good behavior only requires common sense.” Wrong.
Interacting effectively with others, especially where cultural differ-
ences are involved, is a learned behavior. And you, as a fearless
leader, need to teach that behavior by your actions. For example,
people need to see how you and senior leaders recover from
mistakes, so they know they can do the same. They need you
to model the behavior you expect of them.
“Telling people I expect them to work together is enough.”
Wrong. Top-down messages about teamwork and collaboration do
not, by themselves, change behavior. People need explicit behav-
ioral expectations—what each company calls good or acceptable
behavior. They need to learn, experience, and practice the new
behaviors and make them part of the fabric of the organization.