As leaders, we have to be willing to go above and beyond.

Working as an executive assistant for more than two decades taught me valuable lessons about how to treat my team as a leader.

Here are 5 ways that you can show up and lead differently so you can better serve your team: 

  1. See the whole person. 

Whether they’re contractors or employees, get to know your entire team. Know about their families. When we’re looking at the whole person, you’ll find hidden qualities in them that you will never find in a resume.

  1. Give your team space to experiment, to play, and to challenge themselves. 

Stretch people and push them beyond their comfort zone to see what’s possible. Challenge them to do more than they believe they can. Ask your team to aim high in everything they do. Ask them if there’s anything they’re not doing that they’d like to experiment or play with and watch the magic happen. 

  1. Empathize. 

Remember what life was like in their shoes because, at one point, you were the employee too. Pick up on clues that your team could be stressed out before they even tell you. Say thank you and notice the little things. Never underestimate a culture of kindness and care for the people who work for you. 

  1. Have boots on the ground while you are looking in the clouds. 

Be willing to get down and dirty with your team and they will respect you. Most leaders are visionaries. They see the 50,000-foot view and they’re great at casting vision. The problem is many are so high in the sky, they forget what it’s like on the ground. You’ve got to be able to come down to the ground level. Show people your vision and get your team buy-in for that long journey ahead. 

  1. Value empowerment. 

Learn how to delegate in a way they would feel empowered to own whatever the outcome is. Empower them to take complex problems and break them down into actionable steps. 

If you want to learn more about building a world-class team, check out the Diary of a Doer Podcast on https://trivinia.com/.