There is a big difference between bosses and leaders.
Leaders perpetuate The Domino Effect.
One of my favorite former leaders used to keep a domino on his desk. I asked him about it, and he said it was his reminder about a sermon he had heard at church. The pastor talked about The Domino Effect.
The Domino Effect is this: What you do and how you treat people has a ripple (domino) effect
He noted that when you have a row of dominoes lined up, and you knock over the first one, it starts a cascade effect of knocking down the next one and the next one and the next one, and so on… all falling in perfect sequence. However, the disruption of one domino affects the overall outcome.
Interactions with people are the same. How you treat someone doesn’t end with that single interaction.
How you treat people matters.
Good leaders know that shame, condescension and humiliation never lead to sustained, positive performance & results.
Instead, when you treat people with grace (e.g. courtesy, respect and dignity), they are inspired, increasing the likelihood of success.
Show people grace. Let the domino effect be one of positivity and encouragement.
Otherwise, someone who has been demeaned, humiliated or maligned will carry that negative energy and experience with them into their next interaction. If not discharged there, it will continue to be with them- whether it’s with another colleague at work, when they go home to their family, interact with a grocery store clerk, or any other number of places or events..
Energy cannot be destroyed – only transformed. Eventually, it WILL come out, in one form or another. And the negative energy from that encounter will spread if not transformed.
Good leaders know corrective action doesn’t require a negative interaction. Effective leaders use errors as “teachable moments,” not as an opportunity to castigate their subordinates.
My leader told me the domino was his daily reminder to be positive and encouraging and to pass along positive affirmations those around him. He said he intentionally kept it right below his monitor, so it was in front of him every time he sat down at his desk.
Anytime I saw him interact with anyone, he always treated them with courtesy, dignity and respect.
While the domino might be a reminder for him, I suspect he had incorporated its significance into his leadership style long before he heard that sermon.
The Domino Effect is a simple concept- easy to understand and easy to implement, and it dovetails nicely with the Golden Rule.
Leaders understand and embrace the tenets of the Domino Effect.
Bosses don’t.
2 Comments
What a beautiful lesson. Such a simple reminder for such big impact.
Excellent article. Looking for a guiding light expressed in words, mine is “Respect is what you get when you’ve go it.”
Thank You.