The popular saying “Over familiarity breeds contempt” means that when people become too familiar with someone, they may start to lose respect for that person. This is like the “see finish” concept in Nigerian English, where excessive familiarity leads to a loss of respect and boundaries.

Leadership is built on a foundation of core values that guide decision-making, behavior, and interactions with others. These interactions with others have positive and negative aspects.

The positive aspects include building consistency and transparency with the team, which revolves around trust and open communication that fosters credibility and respect. It also helps a leader who knows how to articulate the vision and values of the organization to unify the team and value different aspects of collaboration and innovation. Furthermore, it encourages professional growth as leaders invest in mentoring team members by recognizing the energy of the right employee, and more.

However, this also has its downsides, where the “See – finish” comes into play. As they say, too much of everything is bad. Team members are, of course, human beings who might like to take advantage of the easy access, they start to take the leader’s directive less seriously, challenge the leader’s authority, expect preferential treatment, they could also cause an emotional burden of caring for team members which can be taxing.

How then, can you avoid this? The most important would be to know where and when to draw the line. You can’t please everyone. Always show true leadership qualities in your effort to have open conversations with employees. Lead by example, model the behavior and work ethic expected from the team. Also, balance openness with a level of formality that maintains authority. Above all, seek wise counsel.

At Empire Leadership, we provide the coaching and support needed to help leaders maintain their values while managing the complexities of their roles. Want to enhance your leadership skills and manage the challenges of leadership effectively?

Please send us a message at info@empireleadership.com or WhatsApp at +234 909 9999 413.