Being an Accessible Leader
Accessibility is a buzz word that gets thrown around in a variety of contexts in the world of work. For argument’s sake, we'll define it here as having the quality of being reached with ease. This way of leading is especially important because many of us are making the huge transition of going back to work. And just as we were finally getting used to the first transition!
Although people in positions of power are expected to have all the answers, we must remember that we are only human, and much of what is currently going on is new to all of us. What matters in times of need is how diligent we are in helping easing this “re-entry” for our team. Most of us have experienced a time in 2020 when we’ve needed to comfort someone else. This necessary skill requires confidence and empathy, two essential qualities of effective leaders.
A simple technique that goes a long way is connected communicating. We all know how frustrating it is to reach out to someone whether it be via email, text, DM, phone call, etc. and receive crickets from the other end. So, as leaders and professionals, following up in a way that is meaningful to those whom we serve is a simple yet deep way of communicating that your team matters to you.
Opening a dialogue with a level of tactical transparency is vital, meaning, “...being very clear, directive and supportive,” explains Jarret Jackson in this Forbes article. “That way, as many questions and concerns as possible are raised and addressed at both a macro level and a very personal, tangible one.” If you address your team as a whole, and attend to questions at the end, you’ll prove to be an effective speaker, and therefore increase your team’s confidence in you as an efficient leader. But it is also just as important to listen. If you have a large team, a suggestion is creating smaller circles to promote participation. This is a great accessibility tactic, and when everyone’s coming back to the office, it sets a precedent that all doors are open for conversation.
“It takes 0.6 seconds to turn to fear... How can we get a hold of that 0.6 seconds when we are leading others in time of stress?”
Re-entering society can be full of anxiety triggers. But we have the opportunity to turn these times of stress into a period of growth and learning. Our goal is to turn those 0.6 seconds from fear to calm by facilitating a peaceful and thoughtful environment.
Being effective and efficient ties into being accessible. Whether or not it is true, unreliable communication effectively signals to people that you are hiding anything from them, or being greedy with information. Being transparent will allow trust to build, and trust will goes a long way in terms of performance, communication, and reliability.
A great list created by Eblin Group explains the difference between being an accessible leader vs being an available one. “Available leaders” keeps hours open on their schedule for unplanned conversations, never misses a commitment unless its a true emergency, and employs a true “open door policy” for their team to come talk about anything. An “accessible leader” puts people at ease, encourages transparency and honesty, provides guidance, and doesn’t stand on title or hierarchy. While both have qualities of being a good leader, what do you think you can incorporate more into your style to be more accessible?
As we re-enter the world of “normalcy”, people will be looking to you as a leader for reassurance, stability, ad guidance. To be truly accessible we must encourage transparent conversation, and leave our teams feeling tended and heard. Please take some time today to think about how you can become a more accessible leader, and let me know what you come up with. We’d love to hear what goes well for you…and what doesn’t too!
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