I was recently in Cape Cod on a family vacation when I heard a helicopter flying overhead. It was a Coast Guard helicopter from a program I had worked on as a young engineer many years ago. Even though much time had passed, I was quickly taken back to working on that program and remembering the positive impact I thought I brought to the program. I take great pride in having worked on that aircraft.
I am an amateur woodworker and carpenter. The basement of my house is finished with wood walls and custom ceilings. I built these rooms and am proud to tell people I touched EVERY piece of wood that went into making the basement an attractive and habitable space.
Pride and conceit are often tied together, but it should not be. When I speak of the pride I have for an accomplishment, my intention is not to gain anything from it nor to act conceited. It is to remind myself of the small impact I have had on this world and those around me. I believe pride is a powerful tool that leaders can use in difficult times. When an effort is not going as planned or a tough decision is ahead, leaders can use their pride to help remind themselves of prior exceptional efforts or results.
When our teams have a tough road ahead, sharing our pride is far from conceit, it is positive reinforcement of our collective ability to succeed. It also provides the foundation from which our people can take pride in their work.
So how can we as leaders show our pride to help our teams:
– When faced with an issue, speak with pride of past successes that reinforce a positive message
– Share proud achievements to new members of the team to show them what they can achieve
The bottom line; when leaders can openly take pride in their work, it allows other to do the same!