People First Leadership 101

If there's anything we know better than anyone else, it's People First Leadership. You could say we literally wrote the book on it! That's why we offer specialized leadership development training and culture consulting, so new and seasoned managers alike can equip themselves with the mindsets and tools they need to lead their people well. For those of you unfamiliar with the concept, here's a basic breakdown of what the leadership style entails.

Defining People First Leadership

People First Leadership is a relatively new leadership style that emphasizes the value of people in the context of organizational strategies. People are prioritized above everything else—profit, performance, progress, politics, policies—and become the primary paradigm through which all business decisions are made.

The formal definition for the model we use at People Are First is:

People First Leadership leverages clear communication and earnest empowerment to promote employee well-being through leaders who possess emotional intelligence, integrity, and a mindset focused on the inherent value of people, resulting in trust that builds culture, drives engagement, and enhances performance.

It's kind of a mouthful, we know. But it reminds us of all the crucial components necessary for the leadership style to have the greatest impact.

Keys to People First Leadership

When it comes to practicing People First Leadership, we've identified several key components that shape the model. They are:

• Emotional Intelligence - Leaders need to cultivate a strong sense of self-awareness that enables them to interact with colleagues through empathy, openness, and authenticity.

• Integrity - Honesty and consistency are obvious hallmarks of good leaders; the best leaders know how to hold themselves accountable when they fail.

• People Mindset - When you value something, it influences your thoughts, words, and actions. Valuing the people you work with is fundamental to leading People First.

• Know Your People - Leaders must develop curiosity for getting to know their people and genuinely care for them. You cannot truly lead those whom you do not truly know.

• Empower & Support - Coaching, delegating, encouraging, and training are all tools in the empowerment toolbox. Use these tools to build up your employees and not tear them down.

• Communicate Clearly - People First communication goes a step beyond simply being clear, for it's about being radically transparent with your business practices. Tell your employees the hard truths. They can handle it (and can probably help).

• Promote Well-being - Your employees' well-being includes both the tangible (e.g., wages, benefits, safe physical spaces, etc.) and the intangible (e.g., purpose, autonomy, safe psychological spaces, etc.). If an employee is struggling to pay rent or dealing with workplace harassment, they're not giving you their best.

• Trust - Trust is both given and received. And People First Leaders are always the first to give.

Benefits of People First Leadership

The results of practicing People First Leadership are abundant. The most notable benefits include reciprocal trust, enhanced culture, increased engagement, and overall better performance. In addition to improving work environments and business performance, employees are likely to see overall life improvements as well.

The fact of the matter is that it's impossible to completely compartmentalize work from the rest of your life. What happens at work comes home with you in one form or another, which means the real question is, what are you bringing home? Stress or contentment? People First Leaders work to create happy and healthy employees that ultimately result in happy and healthy families and communities. It's that simple.

People First Leadership has immense potential to make a real and lasting impact on our people, businesses, and the world. When it comes to what really matters in life, it's always people that should sit atop the list. People are first.