Introduction
Dignity is not the first thing I think about when I think of leadership, yet Leading with Dignity - How To Create a Culture That Brings Out the Best in People by Donna Hicks may be the best book on leadership and organisational culture that I have read to date. A friend recommended it. And while I am usually disappointed by leadership literature, I took a look because of the quality of his previous reading recommendation. Not only could I not put it down, but I also found that it gave me a framework through which to parse my most challenging organisational experiences and useful ideas to take forward in my life and work.
There is great power in treating people with respect and dignity, no matter who they are or where they are. As Donna Hicks states, “we all want to be treated in ways that show we matter, and when we are not treated this way, we suffer.” Sadly however, in both business and society, we have become used to daily violations of our dignity, those received and those inadvertnently inflicted on others.
I became acutely aware of this when working in global development, where the socioeconomic differences between those that ‘help’ and the ‘beneficiaries of the help’ are often stark. On a trip to Africa with Gates Foundation colleagues, including a senior staff member, I was struck by awkward silence and hesitation as we first entered a local village. To break the ice, I went up to and reached out my hand to a villager who was standing there looking at us. She broke out in a smile and everyone relaxed and followed my example.
I did nothing but act instinctively with respect in recognition of the dignity of our hosts. Donna Hicks differentiates between respect and dignity however. For her, dignity is innate—it’s something we are born worth, akin to our sense of self worth. While respect has to be earned. That may be, but I’ve found that treating everyone with respect is a useful starting point.
What’s the book about?
Leading with Dignity is an exploration of leadership and organisational culture through the lens of dignity. While the dignity frame may not appeal to people, it should. The elements of Donna Hicks’ Dignity Model, which was informed by her work in conflict resolution, correspond with the top leadership competencies required to create a safe and trusting environment, give people a sense of autonomy and independence, and foster a sense of belonging and connection—all of which are essential to healthy, productive and creative workplaces and wider society.
Why should I read it?
If you are at all interesting in creating a culture that brings out the best in people, this book is essential reading. It will give you lots of ideas on where and how to improve yourself and your workplace. And it is particularly resonant for this time of increasingly disengagement and frustration with the culture of work.
Key concepts
The Dignity Model set out ten essential elements of dignity. These are copied directly from the book for ease of reference.
Acceptance of Identity. Approach people as being neither inferior nor superior to you; give others the freedom to express their authentic selves without fear of being negatively judged; interact without prejudice or bias, accepting that characteristics such as race, religion, gender, class, sexual orientation, age, and disability are at the core of their identities.
Recognition. Validate others for their talents, hard work, thoughtfulness, and help; be generous with praise; give credit to others for their contributions, ideas and experience.
Acknowledgment. Give people your full attention by listening, hearing, validating, and responding to their concerns and what they have been through.
Inclusion. Make others feel that they belong, at all levels of relationship (family, community, organization, and nation).
Safety. Put people at ease at two levels: physically, so they feel free from the possibility of bodily harm, and psychologically, so they feel free from concern about being shamed or humiliated and free to speak up without retribution.
Fairness. Treat people justly, with equality, and in an even-handed way, according to agreed-on laws and rules.
Independence. Empower people to act on their own behalf so that they feel in control of their lives and experience a sense of hope and possibility.
Understanding. Believe that what others think matters; give them the chance to explain their perspectives and express their points of view; actively listen in order to understand them.
Benefit of the doubt. Treat people as if they are trustworthy; start with the premise that others have good motives and are acting with integrity.
Accountability. Take responsibility for your actions; apologise if you have violated another person’s dignity; make a commitment to change hurtful behaviours.
What do you notice as you read through this list? How might those on your team/in your organisation respond if you were to share this list with them?
Donna Hicks goes on to list ten temptations to violate dignity, which we are all probably guilty of to some extent. These are: taking the bait, saving face, shirking responsibility, depending on false dignity, maintaining false security, avoiding confrontation, assuming innocent victimhood, resisting feedback, blaming and shaming others, and gossiping and promoting false intimacy. They are also indications that there are dignity problems at play. Which ones are most predominant in your team/organisation/family/community/country?
The Three Cs provide another useful concept that reflects almost all things in personal and professional development, the inner to outer directed-ness that real transformation requires:
Connection to our own dignity
Connection to the dignity of others, and
Connection to the dignity of something greater than ourselves.
The second part of the book outlines what you need to do to lead with dignity. Steps include: demonstrate and encourage lifelong learning and development, make it safe to be vulnerable, cultivate trust, activate empathy, look at things from a higher perspective, and take responsibility. It’s not rocket science, but it is rarely done.
The third part of the book focused on creating and ensuring a culture of dignity. This part, while useful, feels the most lacking as I don’t see many leaders or organisations taking forward the ideas or suggestions here. I hope I’m wrong.
Conclusion
If you only ever read one book on leadership and organisational culture, let it be Leading With Dignity: How To Create a Culture That Brings Out the Best in People.