image by tiago • ribeiro, flickr artist

when it comes to management, there’s a very simple principle that i feel makes a good leader a great leader:  for all the knowledge you might have — for all the skills and abilities you might have — it means very little if your team never sees you.

by definition, a leader is in front.  a leader doesn’t stay behind the scenes and control from afar.  that’s why when leading — a project, a team, an entire department — you have to be more than “the boss.”  it’s important to have the people who you rely on to get the work done see you.  it’s important to set aside face time to connect with your teammates and your colleagues.  it helps to show that you care about them and that their work doesn’t go unrecognized. Read the rest of this entry »