Forget what Hallmark and others say that January 1st kicks off the new year.
I always feel that the new year for me starts the Tuesday after Labor Day.
This view started even before I became an Adjunct Professor but obviously it means even more now.
It is a time for a fresh start with new pencils, folders, notebooks, and of course a new lunchbox.
When I googled “lunchbox mentality” I actually found the term “lunch pail mentality”.
The definition is “you show up, work hard, and do your job. You don’t do a little dance in the end zone when you score a touchdown. You simply hand the ball to the ref like you’ve been there before.”
This can certainly be applied in all facets of life, but it is especially important for leaders to understand this.
Leaders need to be humble which means that they don’t make themselves the center of attention.
In my corporate trainings, I show a triangle where the CEO is displayed at the top.
The most effective organizations, however, have a reversed triangle where the CEO and executive team are on the bottom.
The reason for this is that the leaders should be supporting and elevating their subordinates to do their best.
These leaders should be providing resources and guidance while also boosting morale and motivation so others can succeed like they have.
Too often we see the opposite behavior which results in disgruntled employees and low retention rates.
So what can leaders do?
It starts with being exemplary role models.
The phrase, “walk the talk,” has been around for a long time but it needs to be more powerful so I suggest “walk the talk with purpose”; this means don’t just walk around the office but instead sit down and actually see what your team members are doing.
Act like an elementary school child by asking lots of questions.
Maybe even try their job out by taking a customer service call, working on a machine, or interacting with a vendor.
Even if a leader has done one of these jobs in the past we know that things change rapidly so a leader can’t assume all the ins and outs of that job anymore.
Leaders also need to promote an environment where employees use their critical thinking skills more.
Considering we now live in a world where there are prompts that remind us to do most things, it is important to have employees improve this skill.
Leaders should challenge their employees to look at how other companies operate, etc.
This should not just be left to the R&D or innovation team to come up with new ideas.
Usually, the ones closest to the customer have a better idea of what people want.
As the new school year is upon us, leaders should hand out new #2 pencils (maybe crayons too?) and encourage the entire company to start thinking like a child by always questioning things and feeling free to explore new ideas.
By doing that, employees will feel more empowered and fulfilled which makes for a more cohesive work environment.
Leaders also need to hand out gold stars which helps employees to stay motivated and perform beyond expectations.