What Your Leadership Style Says About You
When you think about risk, your mind might instantly go to the external hazards and potential threats “out there.” But as humble leader Dan Dye, CEO of Ardent Mills, recently reminded me, one the biggest risks you can take is much more personal: It’s the risk to be who you are, no matter what. And perhaps humble leadership makes that risk easier to take. When you’re more focused on others rather than seeking out people’s approval, it frees you up to be yourself.
A Great Leadership Style
A 30-year veteran of Cargill, where he led their flour milling business, Dan was selected to start this joint venture between Cargill, CHS, and ConAgra Foods in 2014. It’s now the largest flour milling company in North America, supported by 40-plus mills and employing more than 1,000 people. While he calls the organization’s values its “great equalizer,” you might say the same about Dan’s authentic leadership style, which seeks to understand and recognize people for who they are, not what their title or position says about them.
As Ardent Mills’ Chief HR Officer Deon MacMillan knows, not every CEO has that kind of emotional intelligence. “I hit the jackpot being the HR leader,” she tells me, “because Dan is so invested in people and really cares about people. Results are naturally achieved because he chooses the right people who don’t want to disappoint.”
Dan’s Humble Leadership Approach
- Focus on the person, not the title: Dan stresses the value of the individual more than the position or title, noting that everyone brings something unique to the team, and that means no one — not even the CEO — is more important than someone else. “We’re all equal,” he says. “Everyone just has a different role to play.”
- Recognize the reality of the power of position: It’s one thing to say everyone’s equal, but of course, titles and other forms of hierarchies do exist in every organization. No matter how approachable we think we are as leaders, the position can still be a barrier. To neutralize this, Dan works to be as available and open with people as possible. He notes that the open door goes both ways: He welcomes people in and goes out into their environment as well so that he can get to know them as individuals.
- Don’t be afraid to show them who you are: Leaders often shy away from being vulnerable, but Dan thinks the risk is worth it. He’s found that when he’s open with people about his own struggles and challenges, they relate to him on a particularly human level. His self-awareness also sets an example for others to follow, leading to greater mutual understanding and more meaningful conversations.
There’s another benefit when leaders are open about who they are: People know who they’re dealing with. As Deon told me, “With other leaders, I might walk into their office and not know who’s going to show up. I never have to worry about that with Dan. He never shows up differently whether he’s meeting with research scientists or hourly employees. He’s always interested in them and gracious.” - Be self-aware enough to self-correct: Dan also points out that self-awareness can’t be a cop-out. By understanding yourself, your fears, and the circumstances that challenge your self-confidence, you can anticipate and avoid your “default” approaches that aren’t productive or helpful.
- Get outside yourself: Dan knows himself, but he also emphasizes that he can’t be successful without a great team around him, and so it can’t be all about him. “When you’re self-focused, you destroy trust. When you’re others-focused, you build trust,” he explains. Deon’s comment to me is certainly proof of that maxim. As she revealed, “Because of our personal relationship, he’s not someone I want to disappoint. I care so much about what he sees in me that I want to make sure I’m doing what I need to do to serve this business.”
What might you do to incorporate Dan’s “great equalizer” model of self-awareness mixed with an others-focus into your leadership approach?
Check out the six-minute highlights of the inspiring interview I did with Dan here.
Comments are closed here.