2022 Western Medical Research Conference
7 Words Define What Employees Expect From Leadership
During these times of change and uncertainty, employees need leadership, not followership, from their leaders. They have grown tired of the unnecessary workplace politics that makes them feel as if they don't have a relationship with leadership they can count on – one that is reliable, honest and authentic. The 2008 recession awakened the workforce to the reality that each employee must fend for themselves as leaders focused more on their own personal agendas rather than that of the organization and the people they serve.
Employees want to confidently go to work feeling that they are valued and that their leaders have their backs. Instead, many employees approach their work day with apprehension for the next round of layoffs, reorganization strategies, acquisition announcements, or the next set of crises that often require them to work overtime with no extra pay. The workplace can be an extremely difficult place at times, even more so if leadership does not set the right tone to help their employees overcome the toughest times.
Leadership is about making employees feel safe, providing them a workplace environment to thrive, and giving them access to the right tools and resources to be successful. The best leaders build trust with employees by never letting them down when they are needed most. Those who are humble and vulnerable make effective leaders because they never forget where their journey started and thus can appreciate the perspectives of their frontline employees. Compassionate and empathic, deep-down they know how unfair the workplace can be, especially without the right leadership.
To make sure your leadership journey stays on the right track, here are seven things that employees expect from their leadership – seven words that define the very nature of leadership:
1. Specificity
Employees want leaders to provide them with specific direction and to avoid corporate speak – to get to the point and be direct in telling them what to do and what is specifically expected from them. Don't beat around the bush. Be specific rather than vague to avoid unexpected surprises without the proper preparation.
Leaders that are specific have strong attention to detail and are mindful of assuring their employees are never blindsided.
2. Empowerment
Employees don't always want to have to ask for permission. They want to be empowered to make decisions and to learn from their failures. Employees want leaders that will provide them with the mentoring and wisdom to effectively solve problems and become more independent and productive.
Empowerment is the ticket to being more self-sufficient, entrepreneurial and purposeful at work, and employees are empowered when given the right mentorship.
3. Vulnerability
Leaders don't have all of the answers, nor should they act as if they do. Employees respect leaders who are upfront about their shortcomings and aware of their areas for improvement. You can't build a highly-functioning team if the people on the team don't know how to best compensate and contribute in the areas where they are needed the most.
Leaders who are vulnerable show understanding, compassion and empathy. They trust themselves enough to throw their titles out the door and step into the shoes of their employees. Vulnerable leaders are well-grounded, relatable and not afraid to do the right thing for the betterment of a healthier whole.
4. Honesty
Many leaders tend to tell only half the truth. While it is understandable that they may want to hold back the whole truth to avoid the unnecessary chaos and uncertainty that may come with it – employees expect real leaders to be transparent, trustworthy, open up their hearts and lead with kindness.
5. Accountability
Employees expect leaders to be accountable to others as much as themselves. Too many leaders cut corners, delegate too much and push off problems to others that they should handle themselves. Leaders that avoid adversity and the accountability that goes with it are those who are trying to protect their reputations – when they should be willing to put their reputations on the line to protect those they lead.
Accountable leaders are the most respected and admired. When leaders protect their employees and have their backs, they will want to do the same for their leaders.
6. Respect
There is a distinct difference between recognition and respect. Recognition explodes and subsides. Respect reverberates and multiplies. The recognized leader appeals to the head where things are easily forgotten, while the respected leader captivates the heart – and the heart does not forget.
Employees want leaders who respect and value their teamwork and individual contributions. They expect leaders to invest in relationships that are earned over time. Leaders that stick to their plans, take the appropriate risks when necessary, and communicate the outcomes – whether success or failure – are the leaders who earn respect from those they serve and lead.
7. Authenticity
Authentic leaders are hard to come by these days. Many leaders still try to play the game by wearing their game face – rather than being who they really are and showcasing their authentic selves. Authenticity breeds productivity and an environment that allows leaders to demonstrate points 1 – 6 mindfully and consistently – every day.
Employees expect leaders to be consistent and when they are not – this is when they begin to pull away and distance themselves. They find it difficult to deliver everything they've got out of fear that their leaders will take advantage of them – rather than maximize their full potential like the better leaders would do.
Leaders expect many things from their employees, but they should never forget that they are just as accountable, and that their employees expect specific things from them as well. The best leaders are able to identify and empathize with their employees, because they remember their own journey and know that they still don't have all the answers. What they do know is how to connect the dots to build teams where employees are empowered to reach their full potential. They know that honesty, respect and authenticity are words to live by – and for those that do they are also words that define great leadership.
Watch: Three Tips For Leaders Under 30
Follow-me on Twitter @GlennLlopis. Click here to learn how to be a more effective leader and advance in your career.
New Zealand's Prime Minister Goes Viral For Struggling To Define The Term 'woman': 'People Define Themselves'
Chris Hipkins, New Zealand's newly elected Prime Minister, refused to define the term "woman," arguing that "people define themselves" when pressed by a reporter.
During a press conference Sunday, New Zealand media company The Platform asked Hipkins how he, and the New Zealand government, define what a woman is.
"To be honest, that question has come out of left field for me. The biology, sex, gender," he said before taking a long pause. "People define themselves, people define their own genders."
When asked about the term again, Hipkins diverted the question and said that "people identity for themselves."
DEMOCRATS WHO CAN'T DEFINE 'WOMAN' CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
"I wasn't expecting that question, so it wasn't something I pre-formulated an answer on. But in terms of gender identify, people identity for themselves," he said.
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Despite being unable to define the term woman, Hipkins replaced female Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in January 2023.
In April 2022, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., asked Biden nominated Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson during her nomination hearing if she could provide a definition for the word woman. Jackson answered, "I cannot."
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins failed to define the term "woman." (Kerry Marshall)
"Men and women are already equal under the law, but they have real biological differences that we must respect and celebrate…By insisting that men can become women, the left is destroying what it means to be a woman and is pushing women and girls out of sports, public life, and positions of leadership," Blackburn told Fox News Digital after International Women's Day. "Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson showcased this absurdity for the American people and proved how far the left will go to promote their anti-women agenda."
Despite celebrating International Women's Day this year, the U.S. Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services and National Institutes of Heath was unable to definite the term when previously asked by Fox.
Before the 2022 midterm elections, Fox News Digital asked several Democratic candidates who were selling campaign merchandise for "women," such as Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, to define the term, but they all refused to answer the question.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson would not define the word woman when asked during her confirmation hearing. (J. Scott Applewhite)
In July 2022, the Church of England was also asked the question and argued that "there is no official definition" for what a woman is.
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"There is no official definition, which reflects the fact that until fairly recently definitions of this kind were thought to be self-evident, as reflected in the marriage liturgy," Senior Bishop Rt Rev Robert Innes said, according to reporting from GB News. It is a scientific and biblical truth. How can you trust someone who cannot speak the truth about such basic facts?"
Fox News' Michael Lee and Brandon Gillespie contributed to this report.
Aubrie Spady is a Freelance Production Assistant for Fox News Digital.
Psychologists Define What The Term 'Frenemy' Really Means
Do you feel like someone close to you might not have your best interests at heart?
gettyA new study published in the Southern Communication Journal offers a succinct definition of a term that has become commonplace in pop culture over the past decade: what it means to be a 'frenemy.'
"Despite the prevalence of frenemies in popular culture and the significant effect these relationships can have on our lives, frenemy scholarship is limited and contradictory," says Dr. Jenna Abetz, the lead author of the study. "Developing an in-vivo definition of the frenemy relationship portrays the realities of these relationships as they are lived."
To land on such a definition, Dr. Abetz and her team interviewed 29 adults between the ages of 19 and 62 to get a better sense of how individuals who have had a frenemy define and understand the term.
They found that many of the interviewees shared similar feelings about frenemy relationships, leading the researchers to land on the following definition: "Relationships, often negative, steeped in situational ties and shared social connections that outwardly appear friendly but are fraught with underlying competition, jealousy, or distrust."
Unlike genuine friendships, the researchers found that frenemy relationships displayed three prominent characteristics:
The dynamic was described by some interviewees as 'hot and cold,' with the frenemy repeatedly giving mixed signals as they shifted between friend-like and foe-like mentalities.
While many of these relationships were found embedded in unavoidable social circles and networks like family, school, and work, some participants stated that frenemy relationships evolved from seemingly true friendships that became pressured due to external circumstances.
Interestingly, having a frenemy was more of a 'felt' experience than a verbally-defined label. In other words, frenemy relationships have an element of 'unspokenness' in them.
This is not to say that frenemy relationships don't come with their own silver linings. Some interviewees shared positive outcomes amidst the dark cloud of a frenemy relationship.
"For some, the outcome of having a frenemy was better awareness of what they wanted and deserved in a true friendship," explains Abetz. "Others reflected on those teachable life lessons — and that having a frenemy highlighted future relational red flags for them."
Here are two thoughts shared by interviewees that highlight the positive side of their experience with frenemies:
Experience with frenemies or frenemy-like relationships underscores the importance of learning what a good friendship looks and feels like by having experience with a wide range of social relationships. This is especially important for children and adolescents to understand as they learn how to navigate the social world. They need to know that while no friendship is perfect, frenemy dynamics are not genuine friendships and they should not feel compelled to maintain them if there is a clear undercurrent of distrust.
"It is important for parents and educators to be able to assist adolescents in identifying unhealthy relational patterns and how they manifest in friendships," says Abetz. "While learning how to make and be a friend is one of the central developmental tasks of elementary school, as children age they still need guidance and support navigating challenging friendship dynamics."
Abetz hopes that her research not only helps people define an somewhat indescribable relationship feeling, but that it can be used to teach young adults how to seek out more positive relationships in their own lives.
A full interview with Professor Jenna Abetz discussing her new research on frenemies can be found here: A professor teaches us how to tell a friend from a frenemy
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