Recently I have been challenged in one of my leadership principles and I want to share my reflection with you.
When leading my team, I usually aim at being open for each individual and interacting with a positive intent. I prefer to value their personalities including to accept differences and those parts which challenge me. This being said, I would refrain from talking badly about a member to the team and prefer to give feedback behavior- or task-related.
"But, Agnes, you need to share with your team when your expectations are not met. Otherwise, your high performers won’t stay motivated."
We often cannot choose our direct colleagues and for sure don’t need to marry them. But we should all contribute to a professional and positive team atmosphere, so that everyone can give their best performance.
By respecting the human being, we can create a positive atmosphere without shutting our eyes when something is severely bothering us.
I continue to value individual feedback higher than to expose one member in front of their peers. However, when I refrain from criticizing the individual team member‘s behavior in front of the group, the downside is that the group does not know if or how I criticized the behavior and they might not feel understood.
Oftentimes, I think, that’s none of their business and they must trust that I address mistakes or misbehavior. But I also start to express some dissatisfaction or concerns more openly to be vocal about my standards and expectations. By doing so I hope to create a balance between discretion and not demotivating those whose behavior is exemplary.
What are your experiences in similar situations?
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