Low Sodium Leadership

A while back, I read an article talking about the growth of LowSodium subreddits.  New spaces have emerged where gaming communities engage in debate and discussion with positivity and optimism (vs negative toxicity).  With all the maddening things happening in our world right now, I can see why it is a growing trend. 

For my friends outside of the gaming space, the use of the term sodium or salty in this context means being bitter towards something or someone.  Other synonyms include angry, agitated, annoyed, or upset.  Used in a sentence, “I got more than a little salty when I heard there might be a re-make of The Breakfast Club”.  I mean, the nerve! 

The article got me thinking…what would a low sodium leader look like? If you immediately pictured Ted Lasso, you are a kindred spirit because I did as well.  He’s definitely an inspiration.  But I think pointing to Ted Lasso is way too easy.  What might a low sodium leader look like, really?  Especially for leaders operating in our post-Covid world and doing the hard work of creating something new, re-building or repairing a team, or just managing through difficult circumstances.  A few ideas immediately jumped out at me.

First, what you appreciate, appreciates.  This quote left a big impression on me when I first heard it. We have all worked with someone who is too heavy with the saltshaker.  They over index on the negative without enough attention and care to the things that are going right. Over time that kind of chronic saltiness becomes very corrosive.  Anyone who has lived near the ocean knows this phenomenon – the salty air rusts your paint and does terrible things to your pantry items.  Stale chips, crackers, bread, and cereal…the horror!  The same thing happens in the work environment.  Too little acknowledgement of the good stuff corrodes the collective energy of your team, eats away at the culture, and eventually does the same to you.

The bigger takeaway here is that as a manager and leader, what you actively choose to acknowledge and recognize grows in its value.  I think a low sodium leader operates with this understanding.  They look for what’s going right and actively seek to recognize good work when they see it.  Plus, they get a nice side benefit with this kind of focus because when good work is noticed, it gets repeated. 

At the same time, low sodium leadership does not mean no sodium.  You also have to acknowledge bad behavior when you see it.  Allowing bad, or even mediocre behavior or results to consistently happen is the same as pouring salt all over the dining table.  You ruin the meal for everyone. 

Let’s take that thought one step further.  For me, one of the greatest signs of respect for someone is to be straight with them.  It is disrespectful not to be honest with someone, particularly if they are missing the mark.  As the insightful Brené Brown says, “Clear is kind.  Unclear is unkind.”  Giving clear, consistent, honest feedback is how a leader demonstrates respect for their people.  Low sodium leaders know you create a salty mess without it. 

For those of you that have read the book, Radical Candor, what I’m talking about is akin to what Kim Scott calls, compassionate candor – the intersection between caring personally AND challenging directly.  I purposely emphasized the “and” of that sentence, by the way.  Constructive feedback does not mean negative, salty feedback.  I firmly believe you can give direct feedback to people without sacrificing care and heart.  The ability to provide effective feedback, both constructive and developmental, is a hallmark of a low sodium leader.

Operating in this way takes some courage of course, which is another marker of low sodium leadership.  Courage to say what needs to be said, not just what people want to hear.  Low sodium leaders feel the fear – of their own discomfort, of not being liked, being wrong, etc. – and do it anyway. 

Another element of low sodium leadership lies in awareness and attentiveness.   The ability to recognize good or bad performance and offer feedback ultimately rests on the notion that you are paying attention in the first place.  It’s hard to offer a legitimate and balanced perspective or give effective feedback if you haven’t been attentive to what your people are doing. 

So, what does good, honest attention look like, especially as many of us are still working remotely and managing our teams through the 2D of Zoom?  The biggest bang for your buck here is consistent 1:1’s.  On second thought, I take that back.  Just having consistent 1:1’s is not enough.  It’s the quality of conversations within those 1:1’s that matters most.  They need to be meaningful.  And if you don’t know what would make your 1:1’s more meaningful for your people, ask them. 

Which brings us to another key component of low sodium leadership: you don’t learn very much by talking.  You learn by listening.  IMHO, the measure of effectiveness, especially the higher you move up the proverbial corporate ladder, lies in asking the right questions instead of having the right answers.

A final ingredient to low-salt leadership lies in how you talk about other people, peers, departments, and competitors when they are not there.  What you say, how you say it, and who you say it to matters a lot, especially when things aren’t going well.  Nothing kills trust and a sense of safety faster than leaders who talk poorly behind others’ backs and don’t engage in constructive, solution-focused discussions.  It’s the worst kind of chronic saltiness.  Low sodium leaders share their frustrations in the right places. And most of all, they are mindful about how their words and actions shape and influence those around them. 

All of this salty content has me craving something sweet, which leads me to one final thought: you usually get more with sugar than with salt.  The ultimate hallmark of a low sodium leader is kindness, empathy, and genuine care – for your products AND the people who help make them.  I hope this little musing inspires you to add some more “sugar” to your leadership habits.  Shoot me a note with things you might add (or disagree with) and let me know what results you get. 

Julie Farbaniec