As a Leader, You are Expected to Notice When...

One of your associates repeatedly puts down his team members; There is a chill in the office area when a certain person arrives; The team that accomplished the most did not get recognized; A person's work always needs to be carefully edited for mistakes; The manager's description of what was achieved over the past twelve months adds up to around two months of work; People who talk a good game get promoted; The quiet employee has a good idea; The HR department regards employees as nuisances; Some team members are slacking off and letting others do all the work; The truth is tucked in-between two banalities; There was a split-second hesitation when you asked, "How's it going?"; A team leader has an unflattering nickname; An employee is interfering with the work of others; The rumor mill is working overtime; People are withholding important information; Someone has retired on the job; A manager is kissing up and kicking down; The team has split into warring factions; A person's sense of humor is creating problems; There is far too much emphasis on the short-term; People are bouncing too many decisions upstairs; Deadlines keep getting missed; Customer complaints are rising; A career is being sabotaged; There is an epidemic of cynicism; Negative behavior gets rewarded; Those who make the numbers are permitted to be abusive; The culture mistakes activity for results; Good employees are resigning.

Will you notice all of these? No. But many people will assume you do. A savvy leader will create a climate of trust in which this behavior is spotted and addressed by others as well as the person at the top. Open your eyes and ears.