BECOME AN
EXPANDER LEADER
By Heidi Alexandra Pollard
hired labour or resources to be used,
will create stable innovative, high
performing, loyal teams over the long
term. Sadly few managers and leaders
take it this seriously, or have really
considered the entrusted role they hold.
Therefore, what we need is to build more
organisations that prioritise the physical,
social, emotional and psychological
wellbeing of their workers so we can
build happy and healthy families and
communities.
FOR SUCCESS
The raw truth is that an organisation’s
success is based on leadership
excellence rather than management
H
eidi Alexandra
Pollard explains why
managers these
days need to become
“expander leaders” in order
to succeed in business.
It was during working on a campaign
while I was Director at WorkCover
that I had an epiphany that would
stay with me into all my future work
and businesses. We ran a marketing
campaign called “Homecomings”
with the help of creative agency
Shannon’s Way – it was all about the
need for workers to come home safe
from work every day to their family,
friends and loved ones. The taglines for
the campaign included “Your reason
for workplace safety is not at work at
all.” “Work safe. Home safe.” You can
view the advertisement here.
acumen. Many organisations give lip
service to the concept of their people
being their most important resource.
What is needed are more Expander
Leaders who truly see their people for
the unique individuals they are and truly
care about those entrusted to their care.
After all, there is no one perfect way to
build a great culture or team or business
and there is no best structure, framework
or performance management system.
The reason Expander Leaders are so
effective is because they:
Which means the leaders of every
company and team are trusted to act
like a pseudo parent in their employees
extended work family. I believe it is
imperative that leaders come from a
place of love and genuine care about
the wellbeing of the precious lives
under their care and supervision,
and not just because of some
legislation. Those who take up this
duty and choose to serve their
workers as an extended family, not
Are not the strongest, they are the
ones who are honest about their
weaknesses
•
Are not the smartest; they are the
ones who admit how much they
don’t know.
•
work as healthy – both physically and
psychologically – as we did when we left
in the morning.
•
Are the ones who can’t do it all; they
are the ones who look to others to
help them.
Are the ones who don’t try to be
perfect, they try to be themselves.
When we become the architects of our
company cultures rather than passive
participants, we can create workplaces
where people are grateful for the
opportunity to volunteer their best work
every day. To create this takes a series
of small, incremental changes and
conscious moves, not a single pill.
I believe that when we consciously,
deliberately and intentionally choose
to design our workplace cultures using
the principles of Expander Leadership,
love and recognising the UQ (unique
strengths) in every individual we unleash
human potential. I invite you to join the
movement and #startwithU.
To find out more about #startwithU and
how to lead during a downturn, watch
Heidi’s video.
more info/video
These taglines really struck a chord with
our market research test audiences
as well as our staff before we even
launched the campaign. What really hit
home for me how much we entrust the
lives of our loved ones into the hands
of their employers every day they go to
work. The campaign footage showed
a young boy waiting for his father to
come home, two teenagers who barely
acknowledge their dad but their dog
getting excited to see him and
other various “coming home”
scenes.
What is an “expander
leader”?
A leader who stops beating
themself and their people
up for not being perfect.
Expander leaders embrace
imperfection and capitalise
on the unique and quirky
characteristics that every
individual can bring to the
table. Expander leaders will
advance your organisation
to create more leaders who
in turn grow, flourish and
are more likely to serve and
become Expander Leaders
themselves.
My powerful epiphany was how
every worker in every workplace
is someone’s son or daughter,
someone’s mother or father,
brother, sister, husband or wife,
partner or best friend. Here in
Western society we all believe that it’s
our fundamental right to work in a safe
and healthy workplace and that each
day we should be able to go home from
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WHAT’S NEW IN FITNESS - AUTUMN 2015
WHAT’S NEW IN FITNESS - AUTUMN 2015
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