Be The Leader Your Team Deserves

Over the course of my career I've had the opportunity to work with many great leaders, and unfortunately, have had to suffer through some less than stellar performances as well. Lately, I've been reflecting on what has differentiated a manager from a leader, and more importantly, what makes a leader extraordinary.

I recall something that my father shared with me early in my career regarding leadership when I began to manage Engineering teams. He said "I'd rather have people follow me because they believe in me and my vision, and not because they fear me or that they must follow me.". There's a lot to unpack in that single sentence, and I'll do my best to tease it apart in this post by sharing a few of my learnings on leadership. (This is certainly not intended to be a comprehensive list.)

It's about the team, not you. There is a quote by Jack Welch (CEO of General Electric from 1981 to 2001, Founder of the Jack Welch Management Institute, and author.) that I absolutely love and live by.

"When you were made a leader you weren't given a crown, you were given the responsibility to bring out the best in others."

Let that one roll around in your brain for a bit. I believe that in order to bring out the best in others, you need to connect with the individual. To understand his/her strengths and weaknesses, and most importantly, to understand their aspirations. Too often, leaders approach a team with a one size fits all style of leadership that doesn't deliver the expected results. Let's face it, what motivates me is probably going to be different than what motivates you. Age, gender, culture, personal circumstances, etc. all affect a persons motivation. This is why it is so critical to understand each team member as individuals and tailor your approach accordingly.

To assist in forming this understanding, I meet with each individual team member at the beginning of the year to discuss their aspirations. What would they like to learn more about? Where do they want to be in the next 1, 2, 5 years? What do they like to do? What do they not like to do? Etc. Then, we discuss and form a plan that will help him/her achieve those goals. It's not a commitment that we will get there on any set timeline. Instead, it's a commitment that I understand where they would like to be and I will work as hard as I possibly can to help them get there.

Now this is the most important part, and where I believe a lot of well intentioned leaders fail. It has to be more than lip service. You need to actually act upon the plan and regularly check in to discuss the progress made, or any changes that the team member may require to the plan. We've all been interested in something, but once we get there, we realize that it's not for us. So it's important that you provide the team member the opportunity to recalibrate. I always make myself available to a team member, but I have two official, recurring touch points to see where things are at and to update the plan as needed.

The first is quarterly OKRs. In addition to the typical OKRs you would expect to see that measure the performance of the team member, I usually set a personal OKR each quarter. This OKR focuses the employee on a step that they should take on their path to achieving their personal growth goal(s). This could be taking a course, delivering a presentation, forming a group, leading a project, etc. Whatever will help move the team member forward may be set as an OKR. I also always discuss these with the team member to get their buy in and ensure their understanding.

The second is a weekly one-on-one. During these meetings, I check on the progress that the team member is making toward their goal. These meetings are also an opportunity for you to listen to any challenges that the team member is facing. To hear status updates. To create a bidirectional feedback loop. To provide advice and guidance. To get to know the team member better. As I tell each team member, this is their time to discuss anything that they would like, even personal situations if they need someone to lend an ear. (I've been around the block, and I've had many team members take me up on this.) Two important points here. 1. This is their time. Other than checking in and providing any input as necessary, they control the conversation. 2. If there is something that you can do to help, do it. If you say you are going to do something, then deliver on it.

Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each team member allows you focus the team member where they will have the most impact, but also affords you the opportunity to help them grow by gently pushing them in directions that gradually improve upon their weaknesses. I call this "stretching". But "gently" is the key word here. Quite often, the team member doesn't even realize that it's happening. But over time, change happens. To cite a personal example. I am introverted by nature and several years ago I was deathly afraid to speak in public. A leader, Sean, gently pushed me in that direction because he knew the inability bothered me, and that it would improve my career. He started small by having me participate in webinars, then eventually I led them. I then graduated to joint speaking engagements in which I would briefly participate. Next, I was alone on stage, but with a "friendly" in the audience. Then eventually, I flew solo and from that point there was no stopping me. Although I am still introverted, I absolutely love public speaking. I've been told that when I get a microphone in my hand. it's like Jekyll and Hyde. I'll take that as a compliment because I know where I came from and how hard the journey was, but I got here, thanks to a great leader named Sean who cared enough about me to make me stretch.

Communicate.

Does your team understand the goals of the organization? Can they articulate the vision? Do they feel connected to what's going on? Do they understand how the work that they perform helps the company meet its objectives? Do they know what's happening on other teams? If not, they should. Communication is critically important to team leadership. As my dad said_, "I want them to follow because they believe in me and my vision"_. How can the team be expected to do that if you don't clearly communicate your vision, and the vision/goals of the organization, to them? Then, reinforce over and over. I've made the mistake in the past of assuming that because I've explained the vision, that everyone is clear on it and lined up neatly behind me. Fail! You need to continually reinforce the vision and share how the company as a whole is moving toward it. If you really want to test how well your team understands the vision, periodically call on one of them to explain it to the rest of the team.

I'm a huge believer in open and honest bi-directional communication. Everyone on my team is a professional and I owe it to each of them to be as transparent and straightforward as I can be. Plus, everyone is always busy, so just cut to the chase. I ask the same of them when they are communicating to me or to their colleagues. I've played the spin doctor game in the past and my team at the time called me out on it. I immediately changed my tact and have operated this way ever since. I can't over emphasize the importance of this bi-directional feedback and that you act upon it when received. It goes a long way in creating trust with your team and they will really respect you for it.

One final note on communication. It is imperative that you create an environment in which every team member feels safe to voice his/her opinion. Every opinion matters and it's on you as a leader to ensure that this environment exists. (Watch for a future blog on creating this culture.).

Be there for your team.

As a leader, your team looks to you to set the example for them. (lead by example). If a team member doesn't know how to do something, don't get mad and send them off to figure it out. Show them how to do it if you know how, or sit with them to figure it out together. You'll build trust and you may learn something new. It's my belief that as a leader you should be willing to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty. I've had leaders that want to sit in their ivory tower and bark commands at their minions. Guess what? They were terrible leaders and most didn't last long. (pitch forks and torches)

You should also be prepared to protect your team. This includes shielding them from distractions; ensuring that everyone in the organization has a clear understanding of what your team does, and what they are not responsible for; correcting or eliminating toxicity on the team; and setting the record straight when there's a misunderstanding; just to name a few. You are there to ensure that they have the knowledge and tools to do their job effectively, and eliminate anything that blocks them from doing so. Never speak disparagingly about them. Never throw a team member under the bus. Never discipline someone in front of others. It takes time and effort to develop trust in your team, but watch how quickly it disappears if your team feels like you've abandoned them.

As a leader, you should be "first over the top" and if your team truly believes in you, you better believe that they'll be right there behind you. If they are not, well you're quickly going to understand the meaning of the term "cannon fodder".

In Summary

To summarize in a few words the traits that I have seen in great leaders.

** Empathy, Communication, Vision, Accountability, Gratitude, Humility, Servant.**

So there you have it. A few random musing on leadership and some of the tactics and traits that I've seen in leaders over the course of my career. Growth in leadership is a never ending process. I know that I am always learning new things and taking the opportunity to reflect and improve.

I'd love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to add them below or depending on how you found your way here, in the LinkedIn or Twitter comments panel.

As always, I appreciate you taking the time to read my blog.

Now go forth and be an inspirational leader; the leader your team deserves.

Wishing you all the best

Mike