b'A big pillar of leadership is not telling people what to do, but asking them how to do itperfectly capable of handling difficult situations.that matters to her more than a raise, he says.A big pillar of leadership is not telling people what toLeaders can do the same by asking:do, but asking them how to do it, says Bernard, andWhat do each of my employees value most?seeing where they can take it. Its not the end-all be-all answer to everybodys questions, but it is one majorHow well am I doing in showing (andpart of growth which allows the company to become acommunicating) my genuine appreciation for living entity. employees?Im enjoying watching people grow and come upIn what ways am I recognizing behaviors that are with an idea that is truly theirs, and that I have nothinggood for individuals and good for the team as a to do with. And theyre smiling after our conversationwhole?because its their idea. Embracing VulnerabilityShowing Employees Your Appreciation Bernard is more open and transparent with his staff, and Examining the source of his fear allowed Bernardbecause of that approach, hes seen his relationships to re-assess how he recognized, appreciated, andgrow with employees. Leading with vulnerability is not rewarded his employees, which he knows is a criticaljust about opening up about fears or doubts, its also piece in retaining them. Beyond reducing turnover, theabout sharing information and knowledge.benefits of a culture of appreciation include improvedRecently Bernard worked on a Business Model Canvas productivity, greater customer satisfaction, morefor the company, and realized it was an opportunity to positive relationships with colleagues, and a betterinvolve his team in the process.overall workplace culture. The staff I have now is much more open. They No matter a persons position, they want to feelunderstand the vision, they understand the mission appreciated at work and they want to feel their work isof the company, and I can ask them questions [to valuable to the company. Bernard looks to genuinelyunderstand their thinking]. The more that I give to them, acknowledge and appreciate every employeesthe more hungry they become to provide for the contributions to the company. Part of that process iscompany, says Bernard.rewarding them in ways that matter to them.Bernard says the first time he heard an employee say, Not everybody wants the same thing and theresThis is my company, it surprised him, but it was a different ways to talk to different people, and so we aremoment where he felt gratitude and validation for the intentional about uncovering that, says Bernard.process he had been througha process that started For example, Bernard knows that for one of hiswith facing his fear head-on. employees, having the flexibility to spend time withThrough this process fear has turned into something family is what she values most. Her grandchildren arereally positive, says Bernard. And very important to her. She wants to be able to go andit has really brought us to the point spend time with her grandchildren once a quarter, andwhere we are today.www.mrca.orgMidwest Roofer 29'