5 rules for finding — and keeping — great leaders

When you received service from someone who seemed miserable on the job, how did that make you feel as a customer? Did you go back for more? Probably not. But whose fault is it? Too often we lay the blame on the person providing the service. But consider this: What environment, or what boss, has influenced his or her attitude and behavior?
Have you ever worked for a bad boss? What was the impact on your performance? What about when you had a good boss? A boss should be more than a manager. A boss should be a leader.
Scientific research shows culture fuels business performance. An environment with trust, openness, empowerment, a can-do attitude, teamwork and customer-focus is where you find high-performance culture that promotes customer delight and enables results. As much as 30 percent of organizational performance can be attributed to the organizational climate, while 70 percent of the climate is attributed to leadership styles.
It’s important to establish programs to shape your culture, but at the end of the day, leaders create your culture. Here are five rules for getting (and keeping) the right leaders on your team:
Hire right
First and foremost, hire right. At Safelite, we have comprehensive assessment centers to determine if a person fits with our values and six core competencies (behaviors we expect from our employees).
Too often a position is filled in a rush just to fill a void. That’s a mistake. Never settle. It’s better to have a temporarily vacant role than hire the wrong person.
Constant coaching
We provide constant coaching for our leaders — and encourage our leaders to do the same for their people. Coaching should include both informal (real time) and formal (performance reviews) feedback against desired skills and behaviors.
Make the tough calls
Truth is, not all managers are good leaders. The book “Nine Minutes on Monday: The Quick and Easy Way to Go From Manager to Leader,” by James Robbins, has a chapter titled “Why Mountain Climbers Make Lousy Mountain Guides.” Often, leaders are promoted to leadership positions because they have the best technical skills, but being a leader requires a completely different skill set.
If you’ve given them ample opportunities to develop their leadership skills, it’s time to make the tough call of removing that person from the position. While it seems unkind, it’s a form of caring as it enables them to move on to a job that’s a better fit.
Good leaders understand the same goes for their employees, too.
Recognize frequently
When employees stand out for exemplary behavior, it’s important to recognize them frequently. Shout it from the rooftop! An annual awards program isn’t enough. There should be acknowledgements every step of the way.
Reward generously
We’ve designed our rewards to reinforce our core competencies, and we add a cash (net, post-tax) value to these awards. Putting your money where your mouth is — that’s how you inspire great leaders.

Clear leadership is key to creating a culture where people want to be at their best. The culture they experience transfers to what your customers will experience — and that has a direct impact on your brand reputation. This makes finding and keeping talented leaders all the more important.