Do You Cast a Shadow or Shine a Light on Your Staff?

By Rose O. Sherman, EdD, RN, FAAN

“A leader is someone with the power to project either shadow or light upon some part of the world, and upon the lives of the people who dwell there.” Parker Palmer

I recently read a column by a business analyst who observed that he learned a lot about the culture of the company through reading their annual report. He had a special interest in noting how many times the picture of the senior leader appeared in the report and how often he/she was mentioned. In profitable companies with healthy work cultures, the senior leader usually chose to shine the light on staff versus being center stage themselves.

What happens when you cast a shadow on others?

Leaders sometimes think that they will lose power if they are not center stage to accept the accolades for team success when quite the opposite is true. They may also feel a sense of entitlement in owning all of the team’s achievements. When leaders behave this way – it erodes trust on the team. A lack of trust has a serious impact on staff morale and engagement. Poor morale can lead to more mistakes, less productivity, and increased employee turnover. In addition, if not heeded, minor grumblings from staff members can spiral into dissension and major problems.

All staff want to be valued for their contributions to the work of the team. When leaders fail to say thank you or take the recognition for themselves, staff feel devalued. The inability to give others the recognition and praise that they deserve is a serious leadership career derailer.

Helping staff to shine

True leadership influence is built by making others successful. It is about seeking opportunities to create mutual benefit and building and nurturing relationships. Marshall Goldsmith, a nationally recognized leadership coach, observes that successful people become great leaders when they shift the focus from themselves to others. So here are 10 ways to shine the light on your staff:

1. Take the time to nominate staff for local, state and national professional recognition awards.

2. Have staff present to accept awards when given for team accomplishments.

3. Have staff present outcomes of successful initiatives to senior management.

4. Have staff present with you at professional conferences where you discuss unit or department initiatives.

5. Shift your language from I to “we” when discussing accomplishments.

6. Send a note of appreciation to a staff member who deserves your thanks.

7. Make staff recognition a part of every staff meeting.

8. Introduce high performing staff to others as “a superstar”.

9. Let staff know you see the potential they have and that you want to develop it.

10. Take time out to recognize staff achievements such as certification or advanced education.

Smart managers learn quickly that one of the most significant forms of employee acknowledgement and recognition occurs when a manager gives credit – publicly – where credit is due. The essence of leadership is to get work done through the efforts of others. If you are a leader who casts a shadow rather than shines a light, it is never too late to change your behavior. The rewards will be a more positive work culture with better outcomes. You will also be seen as a more authentic leader.

Read to Lead

Goldsmith, M. (2007). What Got You Here Won’t Get You There. New York: Hyperion.