How do you “show up” in the workplace?

(And how does that “show up” to your customers?)

You’ll often hear me talk about the importance of how we “show up” in the workplace. What face do we present to others? How do we conduct ourselves? What is our tone, sentiment, delivery? Do we inspire good will and action? And how do we make others feel?

It’s important that we pay attention to these things – the energy and messages we put “out there,” how we’re perceived, and what we incite in others – because it greatly impacts the underlying workplace culture, the work itself and, importantly, how (well) things get done. The “how” we do things is as important, if not moreso, as the “what” we do.

In a service industry, like healthcare, we not only have to think about how we show up with our internal teams, but also our external customers. And, of course, it’s all very interdependent. We can’t be stellar in service if we don’t treat our employees well, giving them the resources and support they need. We must ensure they feel valued and are inspired by our purpose.

Recently, a colleague of mine and medical director at Humana, Dr. Allan Kogan, shared an article that explores some of these concepts but from the Military’s point-of-view, including its emphasis on certain core principles, especially related to leadership development. Similarities exist between military and corporate (or any) leaders, as we all have a tremendous responsibility – and privilege – of teaching others by example and imparting lessons that have far-reaching consequences.

Ultimately, it goes back to having a servant-leader’s mind and heart.

Interestingly, the word “sergeant” comes from the French word “sergent,” which means “servant.” The premise of a servant-leader is that, when you put others before yourself, the playing field rises. A relevant Army motto is: “Mission first. People always.” It goes back to the importance of demonstrating humility and promoting dignity and respect – core human values – regardless of the situation. Ultimately, it reflects that, behind every activity or action is a person.

Soldiers learn, early on, that the fair treatment of everyone – including enemy noncombatants, prisoners of war, and civilians – is a key ground rule that should govern their behavior. They also learn that leadership means having a good balance of compassion and firmness (not harshness) and that, while rank exists to ensure order and structure, it must not be abused in any way. Self-serving leaders or those who do not create a climate of respect and accountability are ones who fail.

Much can be borrowed from these principles in our own business operations. I think we can all attest to the fact that, when leaders do not subscribe to this way of thinking and doing and, rather, put themselves first, lack adequate empathy, or rule by fear versus respect, people may disengage and not give their best effort. Turnover increases, morale withers, and the business suffers. And to no surprise, the trickle-down effect is poor customer service and unhappy clients. 

To thwart these negatives from happening in your organization, you must hire the right leaders and reinforce skills that help them to be self-aware, ever-assessing how they “show up” so that they stay on course with crucial company – and human – values. As Peter Drucker always says, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast” every day.

Soldiering is much more than a job. Many call it a lifestyle or a labor of love. While workplace roles are different, they also require a similar commitment from the inside out and are highly influenced by their surrounding culture. We endeavor to develop our employees in such a way that they, too, are motivated to do well because they want to, not because they have to. We want to build character and collaboration, not willful egos and walls. Above all, we want what they do on the outside to mirror what is on the inside, so the “inside” must be solid and good.

“Showing up” in the workplace, with your customers, and in life is all intertwined, and you’d be remiss not to consider this when crafting your hiring and operational strategies, processes, and policies. By building a value-based, human-centric foundation to guide your mission and initiatives, you set yourself up for success.  

When I walk through the doors of Humana each day, I try to take a minute to reflect on our root-word of “human” as a reminder of this. Find your word, your mentor(s), your inspiration to remind yourself … and, then, show up proudly each day to keep the spirit alive. I promise, it’s contagious and cyclical.