Effective leadership involves treating people fairly

In May of 1998 my family had gone through a personal crisis that took a toll on all of us.

I was teaching junior high and high school social studies classes at the time and it was the end of a school year. Only two days of school remained and all of my students were done with their final exams.

My principal, knowing that I was mentally drained and emotionally spent, told me to take two of my sick days and go on home for the summer.

A person can appreciate working for someone like that, someone who understands that we are all human beings and that life can sometimes throw some tough circumstances at any one of us.

The best supervisors know that in almost any profession or in almost any business, it pays to treat people fairly and to be mindful of their needs.

A boss has to lay out expectations and provide clear direction, and sometimes he or she may even have to figuratively crack a whip. But the best leaders know that those methods alone won’t work. There are also times in which a more sensitive approach is warranted.

A May 19, 1917, editorial in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette outlined how an employer should seek to understand why a struggling employee is having difficulty.

The editorial explained that people with domestic problems, financial problems, or health problems cannot possibly do their best work, and that the person in charge should take time to learn about personal challenges that might interfere with an employee’s performance.

“Employers who study these things and try to remedy them in a friendly and tactful way,” it said, “are the ones whose men pan out 100 percent efficient and whose employees stick with them and grow up with the firm.”

That advice is a century old but the principle still rings true today. A bit of understanding can greatly help when dealing with others.

When it comes to being good to employees, Google has taken things to an entirely different level.

They have a cafeteria with free lunch and dinner each day for all who work there. They also provide employees with oil changes, car washes, massages, yoga, and other perks.

All of us would like those benefits, but one might argue that it is too much, that pampered employees would get spoiled or would take advantage of the entire situation.

Perhaps. But Google thinks it has just the opposite effect.

The point here, however, is not that a company should shower its workers with all kinds of goodies (it probably wouldn’t work in just any situation anyway) but that employers should treat people good where they can.

Author and radio personality Dave Ramsey makes a living by helping people learn to handle their personal finances, and he runs an enterprise to that end.

He said an important part of leadership is treating people appropriately and providing solid direction for what the company is all about.

People respond positively to that.

“They’ll go into the marketplace and serve,” Ramsey said. “They will do things you never even thought of, they’ll bring ideas that make your whole financial world change, if you will just lead.”

Sometimes leadership in an organization means that the culture and attitude must be reshaped to encourage a more positive approach.

Such was the case in 1963 when the New York Titans in the American Football League (AFL) got new ownership.

The primary mover and shaker in the ownership group was an entertainment promoter and executive named Sonny Werblin.

Under his leadership, the team’s name was changed to the New York Jets, their colors were changed to a sleek, eye-catching green and white, and they brought in a coach named Weeb Ewbank who had gotten winning results in his years with the Baltimore Colts.

He also spent tons of money bringing in the best prospects, including a University of Alabama quarterback named Joe Namath.

In short, Werblin was dedicated to making the team successful. “I wanted to get a sense of pride into the players,” he said. “I wanted them to know that things were different now.”

Things were indeed different. Circumstances did not allow Werblin to stay with the Jets for the long haul, but his influence prevailed. Within a few short years, in Super Bowl III in January of 1969, the Jets shocked the football world by upending the heavily favored Baltimore Colts, 16-7.

So for us today — whether the person in charge is providing encouragement, being good to people, or creating a winning environment — the lesson is the same. People need guidance and appreciation to help them be successful, and good leadership can make all the difference.