Leadership Two-Face

Like most people in their 30s, I have had a few bosses in my lifetime. Some have been good. Some ... not so much. I have enjoyed working for some, and walked on egg shells around others. But, this "supervisor diversity" has taught me a few lessons.

Today, I want to tell you about the importance of stability in your leadership.

In my adult life, I count two of my previous supervisors under the two-face label. By that, I mean they presented themselves in a way that really wasn't who they were.

One made a career out of keeping people constantly off balance. He would make an effort to not let his true self be known to his employees. A co-worker presumed it was so his staff couldn't predict his moves.

The other individual made a career out of the saying "do as I say, not as I do." He presented himself as one thing, but was, in reality, the complete opposite.

While the situations were different, both of these leaders created a similar result -- instability.

As a leader, it is tempting to lead by your personality. In other words, to lead with all the quirks that made you stand out originally. Some of that can be good. But, many times, an individual's personality, especially for people who tend to be more passionate, can get in the way of their leadership.

Passion and personality that swing to extremes in a leader will create great instability within the organization. This will create an unhappy and potentially volitile work environment for the staff.

Here are some quick tips to help leaders create a stable work environment:

• Controlled Passion
  Move to the center. If you tend to swing wildly with your personality, moods or passion, you need to soften the swings, and keep them somewhere in the middle. There isn't anything wrong with getting excited about something. You just want to make sure you don't swing wildly in the opposite direction when things go bad.
• Be Predictable
  Your employees want to know what makes you tick. They want to know how to approach you with ideas. They do not want a leader who cannot be figured out. It may seem like fun to keep your employees on their toes, but in the long run, you really want them to know exactly what you expect.
• Consistency in Your Life
  One of the quickest ways to create a divisive atmosphere is to tell those under your leadership to do one thing, and then you go and do the opposite. If you are going to make decisions and issue orders,  you must live by those rules, too. If you disrespect your own rulings, your staff will disrespect them AND you, too.

Do you have any other suggestions to create a stable and happy work environment?