Tools and Tips to Become a Leader with Humanity

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In today’s podcast episode we interview Mark LeBusque, Purposeful Provocateur and Founder at marklebusque.com and author of the books Being Human and The Little Book of Human. Today’s podcast episode is focused on what it means to become a human leader and how to implement humanity-based leadership in a virtual work setting as team members Team Anywhere.

What Mark Learned Over the Past 2 Years

Mark learned during the COVID-19 pandemic that is worthy of reflection.

Connection and Belonging Matters – As humans, we deeply crave for deep connection and a strong sense of belonging. When the pandemic limited physical interactions between people, Mark began to notice and appreciate the little things that mean alot to people.
Be Open to Any Possibility – Mark was very much against virtual work before the pandemic hit but quickly changed his mindset as he witnessed leaders and teams adapt and create avenues to survive in the new competitive world.
Your Ego is Not Your Amigo – Mark shares this great quote from leadership expert Cy Wakeman. A leader’s ego will prevent leaders from becoming great. There are some things that need to be let go in order to open a leader’s mind to fresh and new ideas.

What Does It Mean to Become a Human Leader?

To become a respected leader with humanity, Mark offers five (5) important tips that can be applied in organizations.

Adaptability – Leaders need to demonstrate flexibility, sometimes bending and sometimes pushing forward.
Spending Time – Leaders must spend time with their team members to know them and gain their trust.
Making People Feel Relevant – A simple compliment on a job well done will make team members feel relevant and valued for their contributions.
Holding Your Nerve – Leaders should lengthen their patience with their team members and guide towards long-term results. Leaders who role model patience and tact tend to create psychologically safe results–such as, less absenteeism, high engagement scores, and happy and productive team members.
Introspection – Leaders who contemplate more and reflect on their actions tend to become leaders with humanity. They are constantly scanning their environment and making adjustments such that the team becomes more effective.

How to Implement Humanity-Based Leadership in the Virtual World?

According to Mark, there are three (3) ways to implement humanity-based leadership in both in-person and fully remote work situations.

The First Five Questions – These 5 questions are designed to build deeper connections with people. This is part of Mark’s “listen and learn” process.

What do you expect of me?
What’s your work style preference?
How do you get balance in your life?
What does great leadership look like?
What are your three most important values?

Perspective Exercise – This is an activity wherein team members write down on a piece of paper their 5 most important things in their life, 5 moderately important things, and 5 least important things. This information enables a leader to form deeper connections with team members.
Humannovation – This a leader’s to-be list. These are often described by two adjectives that would impact a leader’s way of implementing personal leadership in their organizations.

Mark’s Advocacy in Work-Life Balance (Life Design)

Mark discussed in the podcast that your work should never define you. And he promotes a good work-life balance (life design) and gives his team members advice, he is careful to spot a team member who might be totally absorbed in work to the detriment of family and health. In fact he gives a 15% monetary bonus to team members who achieve non-work related goals embedded in their performance plan.

Who is Mark LeBusque?

Mark LeBusque believes that work works best when we truly embrace the human within us. This means challenging the current archaic system of work in which we operate. After twenty five years in various management roles, Mark ran a simple experiment to answer the following question: ‘What would happen if I treated my people like human beings?’ Today he helps individuals and organizations answer that same question and improve employee engagement and business results.