Getting off the elevators at an office building, I stumbled upon an exchange between a tenant and a cleaner.
The tenant, embarrassed, was apologizing profusely for spilling soap from one end of the hallway to the other making an awful mess.
The cleaner with the most friendly smile on her face and mop in hand said to the tenant; “It’s ok, it made my floors look even better.”
This was a beautiful demonstration of effective leadership. Here’s three leadership lessons in this one simple statement:
- “it’s ok” (with a smile) – putting the tenant at ease
- “my floors” – taking ownership and pride in her work
- “look even better” – turning a negative into a positive
It has been said many times before that leadership does not come with a position or a title, that leadership is a way of being. I got to witness true leadership in action.