Do you CARE? Really CARE?

DO YOU CARE?  HOW MUCH?

Or, do you just think you do?  Do you actually articulate that you care and demonstrate that you care? Do your actions and words tell the same story?

We all like to think the best of ourselves and often believe that we are or have something that we are not.  It is time to take stock and evaluate our caring muscle!

Definition of CARE

to have thought or regard for,
to make provision for,
to look out for

If you don’t CARE, you SHOULD NOT be in a People Gardening/Leadership position.  Caring about others is a foundational tenet of good leadership.  It is ALL about your people, not about you. You need to be fired up about their success and how you can help them get there. Helping them tear down walls, blow up barriers and unclog roadblocks is part of your job description.

Thinking about the needs of your team should be automatic, second nature and continuous. It needs to come from your heart, from deep within you and impel you to give of yourself and your time.

Here are a few thoughts that may help you strengthen your caring muscle.

SET THE TONE

Learn to be the CALM in the storm, guide team members to a better and more effective resolution while instilling confidence and trust.  If you are uptight/stressed you are more likely to make rash, emotional and unwise decisions that will have detrimental effects on your ability to lead your team. Demonstrate the resource they have in you and that they can embrace your decisions and directions because you have their best interests at heart.

BE WILLING TO SHARE

It shouldn’t be all work, all the time.  Get to know your team by shooting the breeze with them.  Let them into your world, life, hobbies, dreams and ask them to tell you about theirs. Connect and learn!  All parties will be much better at effectively communicating once there is mutual interest and trust established.  If someone shares that their mother is sick, or just got a new dog and training is a challenge, or they just came back from maternity/paternity leave, make sure over the next weeks that you check in.  Demonstrate that you CARE, you heard them, and you are interested in how they are doing. Our hearts are always warmly affected when someone remembers us in our need or situation.

DEMONSTRATE YOUR LISTENING ABILITY

Don’t think about responding while they are talking to you, LISTEN to learn what they are really saying and to gain understanding of their topic, request, problem or concern. Reiterate what they shared, ask for clarification if needed and then respond.  The response may be that you’ll have to get back to them.  If that is the case, give them an expected timeline and then make sure you stick to it and respond.

BE AVAILABLE, ALWAYS

Be available to your team at any time.  I don't believe you should ever be "too busy".  If they have questions, they need answers.  Learn from the question and determine if you were not clear on your task request or expectation.  If not, modify how you present the information. Don’t do their work, help them discover their own abilities and be willing to brainstorm. Help them become critical thinkers so that if they are unsure they will use you as a sounding board for the solution they have arrived at. Give them the power to execute not just the responsibility to perform.

Look out for them, think of them and their need. Laugh and cry with them; make them feel safe. Be approachable, be authentic, be YOU.