| "After climbing a great hill, one only finds that | | | | leadership guru, argues that every leader leads by |
| there are many more hills to climb." | | | | team building. Take my example. If a child sees |
| Nelson Mandela | | | | his father routinely slap his mother, do you think |
| Why do employees feel neglected by managers? | | | | that child feels that his father loves his mother or |
| Several years ago, I was a member of | | | | even him? Likewise, some managers attempt to |
| Toastmasters, International (TM). My organization | | | | apply a similar logic in managing people. Kouzes |
| had a company TM club; it was dominated by | | | | and Posner, leadership experts, even suggest that |
| seasoned women. I was impressed by their zeal | | | | exemplary leaders gain the support of all of the |
| and professionalism during these TM meetings. | | | | individuals involved in a task. Kouzes and Posner |
| These ladies had progressed in TM to become | | | | state, "Titles are granted, but it's your behavior |
| senior TM officials. I was impressed but also | | | | that wins you respect." |
| disappointed. What was my problem? In my | | | | Therefore, leaders should respect each employee |
| professional working environment, these seasoned | | | | regardless of their level and perceived value in the |
| TM leaders were our organizational secretaries. | | | | organization. Start today! |
| Working in a technical organization, I found the | | | | References: |
| corporate culture unappreciative of secretaries | | | | Miller, C. (1995). The Empowered Leader. Nashville, |
| and other non-technical support. One Toastmaster | | | | TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers. |
| leader expressed to me her sadness and | | | | Kouzes, J. & Posner, Posner, B. (1995). The |
| frustration in this technical organization. She was a | | | | evolution of management thought. San Francisco: |
| victim of being "underused and over abused." | | | | The Jossey-Bass Management Series. |
| Leaders should not neglect developing and | | | | © 2006 by Daryl D. |
| respecting each employee. Calvin Miller, a | | | | |