How Leaders Inspire Successful Teams

Becoming a people leader is one of the most significant shifts in your career.

People leaders are much more than managers: They are role models. They are advocates. They guide their team’s professional growth and help retain valued employees.

Fortunately, becoming an effective people leader is a learned skill. That is why I dropped in to teach a class in our “Leading People at J&J” program at our George Street campus in New Brunswick, NJ. This year-long course prepares first-time managers at Johnson & Johnson for their new responsibilities. To reach all these new managers, we are scheduling more than 110 sessions in 23 countries in 2024.

My class focused on giving feedback. As both a people leader and employee, I’ve learned that giving and receiving effective feedback is perhaps the single most important skill a people leader can learn.

"Speaking clearly about goals and expectations builds trust, confidence, and helps deliver better results."

Three takeaways from my class include: 

• Earn trust. To bring out the best in people, they need to feel supported and valued. Listen, learn, and always make clear that you understand their challenges and constraints. When people leaders acknowledge and respect an individual’s specific needs, a foundation of trust is established.   
• Speak directly but kindly. From this foundation of trust, you can give more candid feedback. I try to be as constructive and honest as I can be when providing feedback. As I discussed in a recent conversation with LinkedIn’s Editor-in-Chief Daniel Roth for his podcast This is Working, great leaders are builders—both of a company and its people. If you want people to be great, you have to identify their weaknesses and build up their strengths.
• Ask for permission. When you give feedback is almost as important as what you say. Receiving feedback isn’t always easy, and by asking if an individual is open to feedback, they’ll be in the right frame of mind to digest your constructive direction.

Feedback Creates Collaboration

The thread that connects all successful people leaders is their ability to listen.  

For me, the best part of teaching the “Leading People at J&J” class was when employees shared their experiences, expectations, and questions about becoming a manager. I was inspired by our exchanges. 

Thanks to my co-teacher, Elizabeth Dye, M.Ed. , the entire J&J Learn team, and all of the participants for welcoming me into the class. Programs such as these are valuable investments, as they prepare employees to navigate today’s complex global landscape with empathy, knowledge, and resilience.

There are many ways to learn, and the best are when we share experiences with each other. So, let me ask you: Is there a manager who made a lasting impact on you? Please share in the comments.