Leadership: Further Forward

Complacency is the good son of apathy. With that said, I am compelled to ask myself, “What type of leader am I?” Am I apathetic: surely not. The enrichment of my team brings me tremendous pride; their successes, great joy. Am I complacent: again, surely not. I refuse to be satisfied that because we’ve always done something a certain way that the risk change represents is not worth the potential reward. In searching for my answer, the 2008 Leadership Experience motivated me to apply it’s edicts to enhance the dynamic of my team.

When talking about customer retention, I think about the lives we touch every day and how what we do affects each individual. This year’s Leadership Experience encouraged me to reinforce the basics with my team. (1) “Do it right!” In the insured’s time of need, the last thing our customer wants is to worry about while they are recuperating is whether their submission was reviewed correctly. (2) “Do it quickly!” Our turnaround time is outstanding. The faster we can fulfill our promise, the sooner the insured can restore a sense of normalcy to their lives. And by doing so, we instill greater confidence in Aflac. (3) “Do it with respect.” Treat every claim as if it was yours. Be courteous, personal and private. These things not only allow us to keep Aflac’s promise, but also present an opportunity to retain the customer and maintain a high standard of performance.

As leaders, we cannot allow our expectations to exceed our abilities. I was taught that goals must be attainable and that I must be committed to assisting my reports in their efforts to meet or exceed their expectations. Listening to my team members’ ideas on how they can reach their desired goals, providing the necessary resources to help in making that possible and offering encouragement along the way shows that I believe in what they have set out to accomplish. Honest, constructive performance feedback has helped my team to assume greater personal accountability, address areas of opportunity for continued growth, and improve upon their current skill sets, eliciting greater effectiveness and the feeling of a job well done.

My father once told me that the reward for a job well done is the opportunity to do more. Success is sometimes predicated on empowerment; however, prior successes should not make “empowered team members” an exclusive club. Trusting all of my reports, valuing their contributions and recognizing their efforts to venture outside of their comfort zone is crucial in growing meaningful relationships with the people who look to me for guidance. I now realize that with all of those elements in place, those you lead will not only follow you both willingly and enthusiastically, but seek you out for more!

So, if complacency is truly the good son of apathy, my 2008 Leadership Experience has shown me that involvement is the good son of leadership. In answer to my question, what type of leader am I? – In a word: involved.

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