Caring For and About People

Caring for and About People is the next quality that Brady and Woodward include in the Trilateral Leadership Ledger's factor of Relationships.

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines caring as: feeling or showing concern for or kindness to others.

If you have detected a theme over the past few posts, it is intentional.  Effective leaders take their eyes off themselves and cast them on others.  The effective leader sincerely wants others to rise and succeed.  The effective leader will advocate for the members of their team.  The effective leader will do everything in their power to help advance the careers of others.  The effective leader cares for and about people.

Building meaningful and lasting relationships has to start with the effective leader truly caring about the other person.  They are more concerned about what they can do for the other person rather than what the other person can do for them.  In a lasting relationship, both parties must give 100%.  The effective leader will give the 100% with no expectation of reciprocation.  They will give and care because it is the right thing to do, not for what they think they should get in return.

While there are some people who are just caring by nature, the rest of us can learn to care for and about people.  CAUTION: There is no check list that can be followed to achieve "caring".  It must be sincere, but that sincerity can be learned and acquired over time.  There are a number of great books that can start someone on the journey.  I would recommend the following:

1. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

2. Skill with People by Les Giblin

3. How to Have Power and Confidence When Dealing with People by Les Giblin

4. The DNA of Relationships by Gary Smalley

These four books will get you started on the path if you are new to caring for and about people or they will help you refine your own psyche if you are not new to trying to build relationships.

At the end of the day, effective leaders are able to build strong and lasting relationships because they sincerely care for and about people.

Chris Brady & Orrin Woodward: "Launching a Leadership Revolution."  Business Plus. New York. p.97