A Leader’s C.A.R.E.: The 4 Keys to Caring for Your People, Teams, & Organization Like a Leader

I recently had the honor to be a guest on a podcast, The Bolt! Although being a guest on podcasts is familiar to me; I was pleasantly surprised and grateful for the host’s final question. He asked, “How would you describe Leadership, in one word?” I could feel a calm come over me and without thought, the word “Care” instinctively flew out of my mouth. As I heard myself say it, I could also feel my whole being agree. Post-Interview, I sat with the word “Care” as it pertained to Leadership for a bit to explore ways I’ve experienced care in the past, ways I haven't, and how I intentionally use it nowadays, Leading the World’s Best Team… and this is what I came up with!

I first reflected on my days as a football player in high school, college, and the 5 mins as a professional football player. No knock on any of my coaches, they were all good men, and I admire any person who takes time away from their significant other and kids to make someone else’s kids better! I believe they were interested in me… my athleticism, my potential, how I could help the team; but to say they cared about me as a person, I never got that impression. Looking back and to be fair, I don’t think I cared much about them as “people” either. It wasn’t malicious, simply immature and singularly focused on football, friends, and a good time. I LOVED football but failed to build long-lasting, meaningful connections with my Teammates and Coaches, and often played for myself rather than the Team and Team Goals.

It wasn’t until I entered the workforce that I began to witness and experience the power of C.A.R.E. My first job was in a Mental Health Residential Treatment Facility. I cared about the job, took it seriously, and quickly knew I wanted to make Mental Health my career, not just a job. How I showed up daily was recognized and BOOM, my first professional experience with care. A Higher-Up pulled me to the side, acknowledged my effort, ability, and potential and recommended I work at a different facility with better hours and better pay! It was perfect; as I had a newborn little girl at home and second shift was killing me.

As I progressed professionally, I’ve learned Leaders must care about 4 BIG Things: Themselves; as enhancing self-awareness, leadership skills, and work/life harmony are essential to being a Leader, their People, their Product, and their Customers/Clients. So, how do you C.A.R.E. your People, Teams, and Organization to success? Let’s get into it:

C. – Care to be Curious
A. – Care to Authentic
R. – Care to be Revolutionary
E. – Care to Excel

C.- Care to be Curious

To care about anyone or anything, we must first be curious about it. I often say, “Whatever you say you love, be a nerd about it!” Being a nerd about what you love and who you love means you’re willing and eager to study them, what makes them tick, why they are the way they are, what they need most right now, when to push, when to back off, what professional or love language works best and when. I could go on, but you get my point.

I once had a Boss at a facility, and she was curious about my family and asked questions; making time and taking time to sit in her office and simply chat and be human for a few minutes… Thank You! Before launching my business full-time, I had a Boss who asked about my speaking engagements, how they were going, and if she could attend one… WOW! It allowed me to not hide my real passion, smile, be proud of what I had created outside of the job, and blend the two worlds.

Lastly, I remember a few of my Coworkers from Bob’s Discount Furniture… Go Bob’s! They were curious about me being an author. At the time, I was between my Mental Health career and doing my business as a Professional Speaker & Leadership Trainer. Bob’s was attached to the bookstore, Barnes & Nobel, where my second book, 7 Ways to Love, was residing. I was selling couches and signing book autographs at the same time at the register… WOW! When my Coworkers asked, I found out some of them wanted to be authors. I was more than happy to encourage, support, and I’m so proud to say that a year or so after leaving Bob’s, I received completed manuscripts mailed to my doorstep. The power of CURIOSITY!

Be mindful to get curious about your People, your Boss, your Coworker! We start all of our Team Meetings, 1-on-1’s, Quarterly Meetings, and Sync & Sips with The P.O.W, The Positive of the Week both professionally and personally. It’s time limited and I teach how to Lead it in my Training and Speaking Engagements. These meetings are not just about policy, procedures, processes, and products; they’re also about curiosity… our People: who they are, what they enjoy inside and outside of work, what they want to explore professionally and personally, and the highlights of their lives both inside and outside of work.

This curiosity will enhance your Teams communication, connection, and culture… as there’s more depth instead of gossip at the water cooler, more meaningful small talk, and more connection, as individuals who would have never spoken find they have more in common than they could have imagined. I’ve seen Teammates bond in emails and Slack messages over their interest in Pickleball, becoming grandparents, taking care of aging parents, kids' sports, and more! The 5 minutes of curiosity at the beginning of your meetings are not a waste of time… rather, they set the foundation for your Leadership and your Team, allowing for ongoing camaraderie through the good times and the bad… Be Mindful!

What will you do and implement consistently to Lead with more curiosity?

A.     – Care to be Authentic

Let’s start here, being authentic sounds cool and freeing, however it doesn’t mean be so much of who you are that your people are suffering, cringe when they see you coming, or that you as a Leader get to create a toxic or unhealthy work environment… intentionally or unintentionally. Think of YOU, your best friend, a coworker, or anyone you know and their personality… now turn up the dial, now put them in a Leadership Position with no one telling them to chill out or knock it off… get the picture?

Authenticity starts with self-awareness… what’s your Leadership Style (I teach the 5 Styles in my Trainings: The Motivator, The Example, The Visionary, The Connector, The Intense)? What’s your speech pattern (slow, fast, inquisitive, sharp, passionate, etc.)? What are your hobbies (will you talk about them or display them)? I once had a conversation with the CEO at an old job, in front of his car, and saw his hunting gear in the back seat. I don’t hunt, but I got to see that he did and we had a great conversation about it! What’s your Working Style? How do you like receiving information… and bad news… does your Team know? How do you prefer to dress in the office and what’s the intentional or unintentional ramifications?

These are just a few questions you need to know about you. Once you know YOU… what are the Pro’s and Concerns about each thing? What impact may it have on your future as a Leader, your People, and the Organization?

I’m a very passionate speaker. I care about what I believe, I’m a nerd about it, I speak with my body, and it’s one of the biggest compliments I receive as a Professional Speaker and Leadership Trainer. However, when I was a Leader within companies and as a Frontline Employee, my passionate demeanor was not an asset! I’m 6’ Ft, 210 lbs, I go to the gym regularly, have a bigger voice, and passionate… well, that could look scary in an office setting and intimidating in social situations. I had to learn to be authentically me, and adjust the dial accordingly, or it’d be adjusted for me.

It was a great lesson in caring enough to be authentic, while respecting others in the process. I do the same now with my Team, but get to FULLY be myself on stages at conferences and at companies through my Leadership trainings, helping their Leaders be “Better” not just “Busy”!

R. – Care to be Revolutionary

I love this word because it means creating a sudden, complete, and fundamental change in the system. As a Leader who cares about the Organization, your People, and those you serve, there will be times you will have to reveal change and a revolution! Care enough to start a revolution or to revolt against what you know is wrong. Sometimes the revolution will be your idea on how to enhance a project, processes, a product, or sales. Other times, the revolution will be thrusted upon you by a higher-up, a merger or acquisition, or a crisis… like a global pandemic, remember?

The point is, at some point you’re going to have to lead a revolution and reveal it’s “A New Day” for your People. Some will like it, some will understand, and some will loath it. The hard truth is, everyone who starts with you, may not get to end with you… and that has to be OK. Change is inevitable, but growth and evolution is a choice. You need people on board who are willing to lead through change, join the revolution, grow professionally and personally, and excel at what they're great at and what that company needs most from them RIGHT NOW!

My final point regarding caring to start a revolution is… when you see something, say something! Too many Leaders become tyrants or scapegoats because they saw something and said nothing. When you see a flaw in a project, process, or product… say something! When you see poor, unethical, or criminal behavior… say something! Yes, how you say it and who you say it to matters, but say something. Leaders don’t get to hide in the shadows and only come out to lead with the coast is clear.

This works in a positive direction as well. When you see someone pick up that trash on the floor that ten people walked past, say something! When you see a Boss uplift an employee, say something! When you see an Employee help a Coworker, say something! What gets recognized and rewarded gets repeated!

E. – Care to Excel

This final key is short, sweet, but of no less importance… Care to excel! You don’t have to be great at everything all at once. Select one thing You, your Team, your process, and/or your service will be ELIETE at… and make it so. No negotiating, no excuses, and only forward! Care to excel, care to serve, and care to have the world say that what you put your effort toward is top tier and undeniable. Once that occurs, they will care enough to tell others, and your pipeline will thank you… Be Mindful!


What was your BIGGEST Takeaway from A Leader’s C.A.R.E.? What will you implement moving forward to enhance Leadership & Work/Life Harmony for you and those you’re Leading?


“The 5 minutes of curiosity at the beginning of your meetings are not a waste of time… rather, they set the foundation for your Leadership and your Team, allowing for ongoing camaraderie through the good times and the bad… Be Mindful!”

– Andre Young
 

Written By: Andre Young