When considering what makes a successful entrepreneur, many of the things that come to mind are not business strategies or innovative management techniques but character traits. Words such as likeability, trustworthy, perseverant and insightful come to mind. The successful entrepreneurial librarian should also carry these same traits.
Since these are the beginning, the foundation of a person, let’s talk about these first, before venturing out into the waters of management style, business models and networking tools.
Personally, the character trait that I would consider most important in a business partner, in a staff member or in a potential manager is loyalty. For clarity’s sake, I would define a loyal person as someone who would never “throw you under the bus”, ever. Even if they take a hit personally, even if it costs them financially; they just will not do it.
I have worked for managers who were and who were not loyal – guess who got my best work? Being a loyal manager gives your staff great freedom – to try new things, to possibility make mistakes, to innovate and create and succeed. Being loyal does not mean you don’t call someone on the carpet when they need it – but you don’t do it front of anyone else. You don’t make reviews a personal attack and you don’t use fear to motivate. Loyalty from a manager, a leader, tells their staff, “You are on my team, I have your back.” We should also note that loyalty is a two-way street. A leader can extend loyalty to a dis-loyal employee for only so long, before it becomes so valueless that it loses it's power with the rest of their staff.
Think about a time when someone was loyal to you. The empowerment that comes from that act of faith in you as a person is, in my humble opinion, one of the best possible motivational tools available to any leader.
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