Do you want to be an "employer of choice?" It's about Leadership!

Today I came across an article on the internet titled "Six Principles for Excellence." It's a great article (here's the link), and the six principles are my favorite kind: a short, to the point, bulleted list.

1. Use your word wisely. It is important to communicate with employees with honesty openness, and respect. Communications should focus on what is possible.

2. Be accountable. Employers should act proactively and be committed to truth telling, focusing on the question behind the question rather than offering excuses or explanations.

3. Focus. By focusing on independent goals, employers can extract the greatest value from the efforts of employees.

4. Mine the gold. Employees and managers should strive to bring out the best in their employees, and be committed to collaboration and cooperation.

5. Strive for balance. Employees will be vital and energetic at work as a result of a balanced life. Employers should therefore give their employees the opportunity to refresh and renew.

6. Lighten up. Perhaps the most difficult of the six principles, employees should not take themselves so seriously. Employers and their employees should seek to bring laughter and joy to the workplace and look for opportunities to make other people's day.

I particularly like the last one. We know from some of the studies on employee engagement that people love to work where they have friends. They perform best where they enjoying working, too.

Do people laugh a lot at your workplace?

Another key point: all of these principles don't just happen. It takes true leadership to set an example, every day, in each of these areas. To reinforce these behaviors, too, in department heads, team leads and middle level managers.

Do people want to work for you? Do they see you as an employer of choice? If you're not sure, or not able to say, "absolutely!", focus on your own leadership style, and focus on these basic principles.