How a $1.00 Bottle of Pepsi Can Make All the Difference: 5 Traits You Need to Adopt as a Leader
Early in my 20-year career, I had the privilege of working for an outstanding manager. Before I share the details of what made this manager different from the rest and what we can learn from him, I need to share an important detail. I have directly reported to 12 managers in 20 years. This number excludes dotted line reports and other leaders I’ve observed.
I’ve had the opportunity to compare and contrast leadership qualities through the years and I often find myself reflecting on one manager in particular. I am always dissecting what worked and made this experience so impactful. When I ask myself what set this manager apart from many others, it boils down to the fact that he went beyond the role of a manager and was a true leader.
This is an important distinction. A manager focuses on tasks. A leader focuses on the vision. A manager controls and coordinates the activities of the team. A leader inspires and motivates. Managers mitigate risks to keep order and follow processes. Leaders take risks and encourage their teams to challenge the norm, innovate, and improve.
My manager could have simply focused on performance management, his staffing, and his budget, and maintained the status quo of the department. Instead, he went beyond the role of a manager and built a stellar team of professionals who were inspired to create something new and transform the group. He established a department with a great reputation that attracted talent from throughout the organization.
He accomplished this by -
Sharing his vision.
Setting high expectations.
Empowering his employees.
Appreciating his employees.
Creating a safe environment.
By sharing his vision, he made you feel like you were part of something bigger than yourself. Our efforts mattered in the big picture and not only could we see the big picture, we were engaged in creating it. As a team, we had high expectations and tight timelines, but we were on a mission and ready to climb the mountain together to get there. We were empowered to create and felt valued. We were honest and challenged each other in a safe environment that promoted growth.
He trained you, guided you, challenged you, and invested in you. Sometimes that investment was as simple as a $1.00 Pepsi from the vending machine at the end of a long week. Here’s the backstory. We used to have regular one-on-one meetings to discuss project updates and how things were going, in general. On this particular day, we were getting settled to begin our updates when he asked if I wanted anything from the vending machine before we got started. I graciously accepted his offer and asked for a Pepsi. I recall this very nice and unexpected gesture like it was yesterday. Judging by my internal excited reaction, you would have thought I was just gifted a new car. As silly as it may seem, a simple and kind gesture that costs $1.00 made me feel like a million bucks.
If this is making you thirsty… pause, go ahead and grab a Pepsi, and let’s break down the five attributes that I observed that set this leader apart from others.
Engage your team and create the vision together.
Share the bigger picture and how your team’s activities support the vision for the organization.
Outline the path together with milestones and brainstorm how to achieve them.
Discuss career path options and clarify how the accomplishments will prepare your employee for their next role.
2. Set high expectations and coach for success.
Clearly define SMART goals - specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound.
Create stretch goals to encourage personal growth and creativity.
Adhere to a plan with due dates and hold the team accountable.
Champion the projects by removing roadblocks when needed and regularly checking in on progress.
3. Empower your team.
Give each team member a seat at the table and listen to their ideas.
Empower them to build the strategy, create the tactical plan, and determine how to execute it.
Allow for learning opportunities through low-risk mistakes.
Create a peer-to-peer coaching environment where team members engage one another as resources.
4. Show your appreciation for hard work and results.
Motivate your team by showing appreciation and pause to celebrate wins.
Tie the results to the vision to reinforce the importance of their contribution.
Say thank you and celebrate a job well done.
5. Create a safe environment.
Build rapport with your team. Hold team-building activities so the members get to know each other.
Have them build plans together and present them to you for review as a team.
Have fun and encourage respectful, open, and honest conversation that builds trust.
Encourage mistakes, learning, persistence, and improvement.
The result of employing the principles above is a winning team that works like a machine. You’ll attract talent from other groups because your team is the place to be! You’ll see engagement, dedication, results, new ideas, growth, and above all…a family environment that is rewarding and a lot of fun. Don’t forget to boost morale without breaking the bank…share a $1.00 bottle of Pepsi and watch how it pays off.
P.S. I have had the pleasure of watching this leader throughout his career as he progressed to various senior leadership roles and most recently into an executive role as Senior Vice President at a Fortune 200 company. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed cheering him on from the sidelines and look forward to seeing what he does next.
