Principles of Leadership Part II

Principles of Leadership Part 2: Dealing with People

1. Be hospitable. Have respect for all people; be hospital to everyone; demand an aura of hospitality everywhere within the institution. Make everyone, both members of the organization and guests,  feel welcome.
2.   Value people The most important resource in any organization is people. They need to know that you  appreciate them, not for what they do or can do, but who they are.  
3.   Reward people Individuals appreciate psychological and emotional rewards. However, it is equally important to reward people materially, at least as much as the organization is able. People need to believe that you are trying to reward them materially.
4. Invest in people If people are the most important resource of an organization, it is not enough to value them as persons and pay them appropriately, you must show them that they are important by challenging them to better performance and providing the necessary support in terms of training, facilities, equipment and help.
5. Empower people I believe the best decision-making strategy for an organization is to push decisions down to the lowest appropriate level within the organization. Give people a job and responsibilities, and let them do the job.
6.   Respond to people appropriately and in a timely manner Respond to people in a reasonable time frame in an appropriate manner, letter, email, phone or personal visit. Know when to say “No.” Also remember that “Because I said so.” is not a sufficient answer to the question “Why?” Be prepared to freely share your reasoning behind the response to any request Learn to use the answer “I will think about it.” responsibly. If you don’t say “No” many will hear that answer as a “Yes.” 
7.    Hire the best person for a job opening The “A-level leader” will hire “A-level” people. The “B-level” leader will hire B-level or C-level people. A good subordinate will improve your organization and eventually make you look good. Don’t worry about that individual challenging you for your job. If they are a better choice and could do a better job than you, then that’s so much better for your organization. A poor subordinate will sabotage your organization and make you look bad.  
8.   Develop your successor It has always been my intent and general practice to begin on the very first day of a job to help someone prepare him or herself to take over my job. I have mentored more than a dozen people who have gone on to serve in the position I held at my institution after I had left or at another institution after they left. 
9.   Don’t shove a square peg into a round hole It is physically possible to put a square peg into a round hole, but only if the square peg is smaller than the hole. Try to match the skills and attributes of the individual with the demands of the position. Don’t over-match or under-match. 
10.    Know and appreciate your students. Education is meeting students where they are and helping them to get to where they want to be and ought to be. If where they want to be is not where they ought to be, the first job of the institution is to help them see where they ought to be. This means that you must study your students and help your faculty members understand and appreciate their students.