What are they saying about you?

How do people describe you when you're not in the room?  What do people notice about you?  

As a leader of a team, you must recognize that people draw conclusions about you and make assumptions about you that can affect their willingness to be a dedicated team member.  Are you known as the leader who never smiles?  is negative? always late?

As leaders, we cannot be concerned with everyone's opinion of us, but we must be aware of the opinions that can inhibit team performance or even affect respect and recognition of your leadership.  How can you find out how your team feels about you?

• Ask a trusted friend or colleague what others are saying about you.  Give them the freedom to be open and honest.
• Be honest with yourself about your flaws.  The flaws that you accept about yourself on a regular basis are likely the flaws that others notice.
• Take your employee appraisal or evaluation seriously.  Ask your supervisor for a suggested area of improvement that you can work on.

As a leader, you are in the spotlight.  Team members and employees notice everything about you, including your appearance, your speech, your mannerisms, who you associate with, the activities you engage in, and the activities you do not choose to engage in.  This does not mean that you need to conform to the expectations that others have for you, but it does mean that you have to be aware of how other's perceptions of you may affect the efficacy of your leadership.