Sometimes ago, one of my proteges called me and asked me: “Sir, what’s the secret of your success in the various leadership positions you have held?” I smiled and after giving him some background stories to some of the leadership positions I have held, I told him that one of the many secrets is: “care for people.” I have a very strong passion to care for the people I lead. The business world is driven by metrics, deadlines and bottom lines and it is easy to forget that at the core of leadership is fundamentally about people. President Theodore Roosevelt wisely observed, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” This timeless truth continues to distinguish exceptional leaders from merely competent ones.
When we examine the most successful organizations throughout history, we consistently find leaders who demonstrated genuine care for their people. This isn’t about grand gestures or publicity stunts – it’s about authentic, day-to-day demonstrations of empathy and concern. This principle of care for people is applicable in business, career, politics and government. The people you lead will only trust you to the limit of how much care for them they can perceive. Their level of trust is proportional to their level of commitment
Herb Kelleher, co-founder and former CEO of Southwest Airlines demonstrated this in an industry known for its cutthroat competition and frequent bankruptcies. Kelleher built an airline that was consistently profitable for 46 consecutive years by putting employees first. During the aftermath of 9/11, when airlines were laying off thousands of workers, Southwest maintained its record of never having an involuntary layoff. Kelleher believed that by taking care of his employees, they would take care of the customers, and the customers would take care of the shareholders. Kelleher’s care manifested in countless ways: he attended employee celebrations, knew many workers by name, and even helped baggage handlers load luggage on Thanksgiving Day.
Today, Southwest continues to have one of the lowest turnover rates in the airline industry, and consistently ranks among the best places to work. This led to the airline expanding to over 4,000 flights daily and serving over 100 destinations. Kelleher showed that it is possible to love people (employees and customers alike), have fun and make money simultaneously. Herb never believed that the discipline necessary to run an on-time airline with fantastic service was mutually exclusive with treating people like family and making work fun. He said, “I’d rather have a company bound by love than a company bound by fear.”
Many years ago, as a Sales Manager leading a team of salesmen, I accompany them sometimes to the stores to offload goods. As soon as we finish and I discover that these men are sweating, I will enter the supermarket and buy body spray for each one of them. This was done to different groups of salesmen and it meant so much to them. Ironically, one of the salesmen met me again after 7 years and he reminded me of those actions of mine. He said he does the same thing for his team now. Indeed, I felt a sense of success. Sometimes the smallest gestures can have the most significant impact. These acts of care create ripple effects that can last for years or even decades. Your team will be willingly committed to the limit of the care they can perceive from you.
There are different ways you can show care to your team members. You must be present in their challenging moments. When a tsunami hit Japan in 2011, Tadashi Yanai, CEO of Uniqlo, immediately flew to the affected region to check on his employees and their families. He provided emergency supplies and kept all affected employees on payroll while stores were rebuilt. He further donated $9m to relief efforts. Being present with your team members in their down moments is an act they will never forget.
A personal touch with your team may also not be out of place. Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, was known for personally writing birthday cards to thousands of her sales directors each year, demonstrating that even as a leader of a large organization, personal connections matter. People will always remember your personal touch and connections with them.
Perhaps the most powerful aspect of care-based leadership is its multiplier effect. When leaders demonstrate genuine care, they create a culture where care becomes the norm. Just as I had earlier shared my personal story in earlier paragraphs, one of the beneficiaries of my care went on to treat his own team with the same consideration he had received. Caring leadership creates generations of caring leaders. Care for your team will consistently yield returns in loyalty, commitment, and performance.