Start Being a Better Leader

Smart jerks can get promoted, but they make terrible leaders. 

And terrible leaders break cultures and make good people question if they want to stay. Meanwhile, good people are your company’s most important asset. 

• Want to grow? Need good people. 

• Want to be profitable? Need good people. 

• Want to expand geographically? Need good people. 

• Want to buy companies and have your people run them? Need LOTS of good people. 

Here are some things good people look for in a leader (so you can keep your good people): 

1. Positive reinforcement 

Say thank you, acknowledge successes, and express gratitude. It means the world to people and can mean even more than money in many cases. I can think of multiple leaders who don’t have to overpay for their top talent because their top talent is happy and feels appreciated. Don’t overlook that. 

2. Self-awareness 

If you lead, your people know all of your strengths and weaknesses—they watch you express them every day! Weaknesses are only bad if you’re totally unaware of them. When you do have weaknesses: 

• Identify them for yourself 

• Express them out loud in front of your team 

• Commit to working on them and always trying to get better 

Your people will love you for the fact that you at least know your shortcomings. And aren’t trying to hide from them. 

3. Straight talk 

The standard for communication of great leaders is straight talk. This means they don’t mince words. I personally struggle with this one. I find myself saying things like, “It would be great if you could take the lead on this..” 

When I really want to say, “This is the next step in your growth. Take the lead.” 

This goes for feedback too. You need to be able to give your people straight feedback without mincing words. 

4. Care 

It’s a lot easier to give hard feedback when your team knows you care deeply about them. 

Care is not something you can fake. It takes continuous effort on your part to care deeply about your people's lives, hopes, and desires. Listen intently. Ask great questions. Turn your body towards them when you listen. Say, thank you. 

It’s little stuff, but it builds allegiance like you wouldn’t believe. 

5. Vision 

Can you see the future of your business? Can you see the future for your team?

Can you articulate it in an exciting and inspiring way? 

If you can’t, start by practicing your strategic thinking. Consider what goals the business has and why they are exciting. Figure out how each member of your team makes an impact. If you don’t have goals yet, then set some. Start by asking yourself: “Why do we exist?” 

It’s a fun question to ask because you don’t exist to build construction projects. Well, you may, but if you do, then you’re missing an opportunity to find a deeper “why”. Our company, Well Built Construction Consulting, exists to create positive change in the construction industry. We get to go live this mission every day. And it gets us fired up about the future. 

Find your “why” and learn how to communicate it to the team so they are just as excited about it as you are. 

6. Aligned thoughts, words, and actions 

You could also call this one “integrity” because it comes down to the fact that your people want to know that a) you have values, b) that you are willing to communicate those values with your team and your clients, and c) that your actions align with your values. 

As soon as they hear you say one thing and do something else, their trust erodes just a little bit. The more it happens, the more trust erodes. You can get by like this with employees who also have loose value systems, but your top performers will grow tired of it and leave or disengage. 

We all have a lot to learn and there’s a lot of reasons to spend time working on yourself. Your people's happiness comes to mind as a top reason. Your business’s profitability is another one. 

No matter where you are in your journey, commit to working on it. Tell your team you’re working on it. Keep getting better. It doesn’t have to be more complicated than that. 

Spark Notes:

• Good leaders retain top talent, while bad leaders drive away valuable people, causing cultural breakdowns and disengagement.

• A company’s success—growth, profitability, expansion, and acquisitions—all depend on having skilled, committed people.

• Retaining good people requires leaders who offer positive reinforcement, are self-aware, communicate, show genuine care, and share a compelling vision.

• Leaders should align their words, actions, and values consistently to build trust and keep their best employees engaged and motivated.

• Commit to personal growth openly and continuously to foster a supportive and resilient culture that drives both happiness and profitability.