POWERFUL, inspirational leadership can only happen if employees develop an emotional attachment to the boss.But how do you foster this kind of attachment in a big company where people are scattered all over the world?Having individuals who respect you and actively share favourable information about you is more effective in instilling employee attachment than any formal communication. Here are a few suggestions for cultivating these "leader surrogates":1. Get out more. Spending time with employees in extracurricular activities — softball games, barbecues — is one way executives can let their employees get to know them.2. Let spontaneous things happen. An unplanned interaction with an individual might make you late to your next meeting, but it is the kind of thing inspiring leaders do. So build a cushion into your schedule, especially when you are traveling to other corporate locations.3. Don’t strive for perfection. A leader’s strength in one area can compensate for weakness in anoth...
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