I just received a copy of David Cottrell’s book “The Magic Question“.  In perusing it today, I came across the following that got my attention:

“The team with the best leader usually wins…The best leaders understand how to lead others toward a common goal. They are competent and passionate, trustworthy, creative, and humane (hey, those words sound familiar, eh?)…the Gallup organization found that the single most important variable in employee productivity is the quality of the relationship between employees and their direct supervisors. Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman put it this way: ‘What people want most from their supervisors is the same thing that kids want most from their parents: someone who sets clear and consistent expectations, cares for them, values their unique qualities, and encourages and supports their growth and development.’”

In its simplest form, leadership comes down to answering six key questions your team members are always asking (whether you hear them or not). These questions are the same regardless of team members’ gender, generation, background or position:

1. What is REALLY important?
2. How am I doing?
3. How is our team doing?
4. Do you care?
5. What difference do we make?
6. Are you worth following?

As a leader, your goal is to become the kind of leader who earns the right to ask your team members, “How can I help?”