To Be a Great Leader, You Have to Build Great Teams
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Word Count: About 700, approximate reading time 3 to 5 minutes. Please share your thoughts in the comments. Please be kind and subscribe to my newsletter.
To be seen as exceptional, leaders need to accomplish three things.
They must deliver exceptional results over time. Effective leadership looks well beyond the current quarter or year.
Their team members thrive even when the leader is no longer there. Developing future leaders creates space for people to leave the team and drive the success of other teams. When the leader pursues new opportunities, the team continues to excel.
People want to join your team. They want to stay on your team. They see group success as the key to personal success.
A recent study published in the Harvard Business Review identified five defining characteristics of successful teams. All five attributes, at their core, are essential to effective communications.
Everyone talks and listens in equal measure. The leader must create an environment where everyone is expected to and is comfortable participating. Leaders have to reign in the more dynamic members without shutting them down. They need to make introverts comfortable so they share their thoughts openly. Leaders avoid ‘holding court’ and dominating discussions.
Team members actively engage with each other. They engage with energy and speak to each other as individuals. They debate in a way that allows for the best outcomes recognizing that no idea is a bad idea if it helps add clarity to the final decision.
Members connect directly. While the leader is accountable for the team’s actions, they do not insist on managing all communications. The team knows what they need to share with the leader as these conversations occur.
Back-channel conversations are common. Sometimes a back-channel conversation can address a sensitive topic and resolve the issue without distracting the larger team. The leader must be made aware of the discussion to be sure broader policy issues are not in play.
Members go exploring. Without jeopardizing the work to be done, team members spend time outside the team to build relationships and gather information that the team needs to be effective.
Influential leaders give their team members room to act independently while ensuring their actions are aligned with the team’s goals and objectives.
The Great Resignation – Why People are Quitting
Interesting data on The Great Resignation from McKinsey & Company. Two things jumped out to me. The top five reasons are unchanged from the reasons given before the pandemic. Other than Inadequate Compensation, a common element attributable to each is poor leadership and the communications underpin each. People will leave when leaders fail to help their teams see their opportunities, understand why their work is important, or set unrealistic expectations.
The pandemic did redefine workplace flexibility. We all learned that physical presence is not always required. For remote or hybrid work to be successful over the long term, leaders must redefine what makes a collaborative work environment. Replacing the informal communication that relies on proximity is essential. Informal communication enables work and builds the personal relationships that turn a group of people into a team.
Statista - Why people are quitting
What I’m Up To
It was my privilege to present to the Accomplished Executives. The AE Group is a networking organization that helps senior leaders who are in transition. The discussion focused on helping interview candidates answer the question, “What is your leadership style?” This is one of the most important interview questions to answer and you need to be prepared for it. Our discussion focused on the opportunities candidates may encounter and how the circumstances of each can affect the answer.
Chips and Salsa: Bite-sized news and posts.
What will the metaverse grow up to be?
MIT Sloan - Learning about the metaverse
PWC - Demystifying the metaverse
NBC News - How the metaverse is revolutionizing health care
Innovation suffers when a start-up’s objective is to be acquired.
Northwestern Kellogg - Acquisition goals stifle innovation
The word impossible kills conversation; saying impractical allows for collaborative discussions.
Medium - The crucial difference between impossible and impractical
Quotes
“Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others.”
Robert Lewis Stevenson
“A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life.”
John Wooden
The Leader With A Thousand Faces is available on Amazon.
My goal is to make this newsletter as interesting and valuable as possible. Please share your thoughts and suggestions for improvement. If there are specific topics in leadership you would like me to focus on in future issues, please send them my way.
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