My Leadership Journey

Alaka‘i is the Hawaiian value of leadership, and it is a quality desired both in managing and leading. It includes coaching, guiding and mentoring others to support their growth and self-development. Those who are Alaka‘i lead with caring for others. Courage and initiative are important, yet secondary. And this is critical: To be Alaka‘i is to lead and manage with good example, for your own actions will groom your empathy. From Managing with Aloha by Rosa Say

I was recently given less than positive feedback from a client regarding someone on my team. After thinking about the specifics of the situation, I decided not to share the feedback. This led me to reflect on my thought process and how it differed from what my approach to this situation may have been earlier in my career.

Early in our careers we are often thrown into positions of leadership without sufficient experience. I have certainly made my share of mistakes. One personal experience involved leading the integration of two teams and failing to recognize how highlighting the superior strengths of one team would curtail my ability to lead the other. Early career is also a time when we are very focused on our own upward mobility. This may be compounded by a lack of empathy and/or the inability to visualize ourselves on the “receiving end” of our own leadership. That is not to say that there cannot be early career managers who have the maturity to excel in a leadership role.

Going back to my earlier example, I might view my primary role as a leader as ensuring that my team was developing the skills needed to exceed our client’s expectations. This could have led me to believe that the best decision was to share the client’s feedback. This approach would make me appear responsive to the client and demonstrate that I was not afraid to address issues directly. Notice how frequently the words I, my, and me were used in the prior sentences. The problem with a “me” centered approach is that your team will soon recognize the motive for your actions and see you as lacking the nuanced decision making needed to lead others in a constructive way.

I have always been intrigued by the practice of servant leadership. At its core, servant leadership means that instead of the team working for the leader, the leader exists to serve the team. If you believe that cared for employees will in turn take care of customers, it is not a leap to believe that servant leadership must be a prerequisite for satisfied customers.

So, if you are an early career leader, I would recommend the following:

• Give yourself time to think things through. Quick decisions can be emotionally driven and lack the proper perspective. Sleeping on it often produces a better result.

• Try to put yourself in the shoes of others so that you can anticipate how your message/actions will be received. People are individuals and deserved to be treated as such.

• Do not focus on self-promotion that can alienate the team you are leading. Believe that you will be recognized for the success achieved by the members of your team.

• When evaluating potential employers, look for an organization that has a leadership philosophy that aligns with your strengths. Do not let the organization turn you into something you do not want to be.

Lastly, I have learned that long after you have moved on to new phases of your career, people will most remember the type of person you were and how you helped develop others. In other words, they will remember your Alaka‘i. Focusing on the “we” instead of the “me” will create a legacy that you will be proud of.