I may the last person on the planet to see Avatar (I tend to only see movies once I can watch them on free TV!). The most poignant part in the movie for me was how the Navi expressed their true and authentic appreciation/love for another being…they used the phrase “I see you.”
This phrase “I see you” has stuck with me in a very powerful way. Do we really ‘see’ other people? Or are we just going through the motions on a daily basis…interacting with people on a superficial level in order to get the job done or get what we want out of them?
As leaders we have so much going on in our day to day interactions with others. We have a lot on our plate…the company expects results, they expect ROI, they expect deadlines to be hit and targets to be met, and they expect us to be able to lead, inspire and motivate our team. That’s a lot of external expectations and that may or may not cover what we also expect of ourselves.
In order to meet these expectations we rely on our relationships with other people. So, how good are your relationships? Do you really ‘see’ the people on your team or are they just a means to an end? If I were to speak with your direct reports would they give me the impression that you care about them as individuals, not just as a collective team, a means to an end?
What would your direct reports tell me regarding your knowledge about…
There’s an old adage that people do not leave companies, they leave managers. When people feel valued and feel ‘seen’ there tends to be higher levels of loyalty and productivity which is a winning combination for all involved.
So…take stock…how many people in your life can you truthfully and authentically greet with the phrase “I see you”?
This phrase “I see you” has stuck with me in a very powerful way. Do we really ‘see’ other people? Or are we just going through the motions on a daily basis…interacting with people on a superficial level in order to get the job done or get what we want out of them?
As leaders we have so much going on in our day to day interactions with others. We have a lot on our plate…the company expects results, they expect ROI, they expect deadlines to be hit and targets to be met, and they expect us to be able to lead, inspire and motivate our team. That’s a lot of external expectations and that may or may not cover what we also expect of ourselves.
In order to meet these expectations we rely on our relationships with other people. So, how good are your relationships? Do you really ‘see’ the people on your team or are they just a means to an end? If I were to speak with your direct reports would they give me the impression that you care about them as individuals, not just as a collective team, a means to an end?
What would your direct reports tell me regarding your knowledge about…
- Their personal situation – do you know the name of their partner, their kids, their dog or cat or goldfish?
- Their personal dreams and goals?
- Their short-term career aspirations?
- Their long-term career aspirations?
- What gives them energy, gets them excited, gets their juices flowing?
- What takes energy away, depletes them?
There’s an old adage that people do not leave companies, they leave managers. When people feel valued and feel ‘seen’ there tends to be higher levels of loyalty and productivity which is a winning combination for all involved.
So…take stock…how many people in your life can you truthfully and authentically greet with the phrase “I see you”?
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