In order to get the best out of people, you have to see the best in them. You cannot truly respect someone until you value who they are. And it is impossible to make someone truly feel important if you secretly feel they are a nobody.

Early on in my leadership journey I was fortunate to be surrounded by leaders who built me up and visualized the best in me. I remember a very important meeting that our organization was holding and I was required to attend. The day of the meeting was the worst possible timing for me. I had a full day of meetings beforehand and to top it off I needed to be preparing for a huge event that I had to break from in order to be at the meeting. I reluctantly attended looking at my watch the whole time waiting till I could get back to what I was doing. My mind was somewhere else and obviously it was apparent. After the meeting I quickly darted out the back after saying goodbye’s and shaking hands. As I walked down the hallway the leader of the organization who facilitated the meeting met up with me and put his arm around my shoulder. He smiled at me and said, “John, I know you are busy and are working very hard right now, but I want you to know that when you come to a meeting I want your mind and heart present. I saw you watching your clock and keeping your head down. These meetings are vital to our company moving forward and you are an example to everyone else in that room. I know you will be ready to go next time because you have much to offer. Keep up the good work!” he then went on to build me up with encouraging words about what I had been doing for the organization. I will never forget that moment. At first I was embarrassed, then I started to defend myself in my mind thinking he just didn’t know how busy I was. But eventually I realized he was right to call me out. From that day on I decided that wherever I was I would try my best to be fully in the moment. Dan built me up that day. He could have just corrected me and stopped there, but he took the time to affirm me with the strengths and talents he saw in me.

Instead of only seeing the negative in a person, can you see the positive? Can you visualize what they are capable of and have the potential to do? Are you able to pick out their strengths instead of only their weaknesses? Can you recognize the diamond in the coal? Each person you come in contact with has something to offer. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “I have never met a man who was not my superior in some particular.”

As a leader you have  to be able to believe in people’s potential in order to see it. If you cannot see it, you will never be able to develop it. True leadership is the ability to see what could be through what currently is. When you look at your team do you see what could be? Do you treat others with a level of respect because of the gifts you see in them? When a leader has a 20/20 like vision concerning people’s potential they are able to see past the obstacles and into the possibilities of others. Many so called “leaders” assume the worst in people and as a result can be jaded by that preconceived attitude. They wait in the shadows watching and expecting others to confirm their negative assessments. There is nothing worse than to be in a work environment where people are waiting for you to mess up and fail. Leaders need to catch people doing the right things not just the wrong things. No one is motivated to do their best if they don’t believe their leader believes they are the best. Mahatma Gandhi said, “I look only to the good qualities of men. Not being faultless myself, I won’t presume to probe into the faults of others.”

Leaders who believe that their people are the best are the ones who tend to pull out the best in them. It is not luck of the draw that great coaches have great players. They have great players because they draw out the greatness within their team. Give people the benefit of the doubt. Live by an innocent until proven guilty attitude towards others, not guilty until proven innocent. You can’t fake seeing the best in others, your true feelings and judgements will be exposes through your attitude and behavior.

In order for respect to be flowing to and from a a leader there has to be respect for everyone. If a leader cannot look at each individual on their team and believe they are the best, they either need to do one of two things; develop them, or replace them.