Leading a team is not for the faint of heart. Some days everything seems to flow with teammates collaborating with enthusiasm and energy. Other days seem more like a hurricane with each person spinning around, wobbling, without a clear path. Working with a client recently, I noticed several of the teams were twirling around with no landing in sight. Managers were sensing that few team members were willing to give their full attention to high priority projects. Deadlines kept getting pushed up with no final completion dates in site. The excuses began to flow and the leaders were becoming anxious and angry. They wondered why their teams didn’t feel accountable and left their work for the manager to complete.
We started talking about the sad state of affairs and wondered how the cycle could be broken.
Why were team members feeling no loyalty?
Why were people not performing at their best levels?
Why did the team’s goals seem meaningless?
Then we began digging a little deeper.
How well do the managers really know their teams?
How much do they know what is important to the individual members?
Were they willing to learn what made each person jump up and down?
To address these critical leadership concerns, it was necessary for the managers to be capable of opening up their minds. As the afternoon progressed it became clear that the managers were ready to lead and eager to embrace the changes to move their teams into prime-time space.
[Tweet “Discovering the drivers for your team is the best knockout punch.”]
Here’s how to begin your own leadership knockout punch:
ACKNOWLEDGE A DISCONNECT
If it feels like your team is constantly relying on you to complete a project, then say, “yes” to “we have a problem”. A manager needs to believe that the team has the skills to see a great end result and if it that’s not the case, then decide how to bring everyone up to speed. Make sure that things aren’t ending up on your desk because you are micro-managing and think others aren’t as able bodied.
[Tweet “Leadership means recognizing what is not working.”]
ASK EMPOWERING QUESTIONS
Meet with your individual team members and find out how they see their current and future role by asking powerful questions:
- How do you think the project is going?
- In what way would you approach things differently next time?
- What strengths do you have that are not being shared at work?
- How might you change your role on the team?
GET INPUT FROM THE TEAM
Before setting up a new flow or structure check in with the team for feedback on their ideas. Explore why they aren’t holding themselves accountable. Maybe there is a process block or missing information that is preventing them from finalizing an assignment. Maybe they feel weak in a particular skill and need some training. Maybe they think you have the need to put the final touches on their work. Maybe they are constantly feeling judged.
COMMIT TO TRYING A NEW WAY
Once you have listened to the team’s feedback and understand why each person isn’t working at their highest level, put the new strategy into place. Remind the team that their suggestions are being used and that you have confidence in the new direction. When we lead by inclusion, we create magic.
What leadership punches have worked for you?
Terri,
Great points on how to engage your team and punch through what is ailing a team. Each of your elements indicate an open leader, and this is really the first step. Leaders need to be open to drive the change and hear the change. There is a tempo between really hearing what is happening and then collaborating to resolve it. Getting this tempo right delivers the right results.
Thanks! Jon
Wonderful point Jon- “There is a tempo between really hearing what is happening and then collaborating to resolve it. Getting this tempo right delivers the right results.” I too have noticed that each team leader has a different way of approaching their team challenges. Some leaders face the issues head on and then rally the troops to work through it. Other leaders go directly to the team and brainstorm how to approach the changes. It is a personal style and successful as long as strategic listening is involved to understand the real concerns.
Thanks for your continued support and insights!
Terri
Asking the team for input is so empowering. Giving them a chance own things can help them all step up. And I like Jon Mertz “Open Leader” too. Transparency can help the team buy in, where if we try to hide things people will find out. Great article Terri!
I so agree that when people are asked for their ideas and feedback they feel empowered to make things happen. The basic rung on any high performing team is trust and transparency. When teams feel that there are no hidden agendas and no games being played, they want to make valuable contributions. They also want to feel they matter so leaders need to take the time to find out what is important to each team member.
Thanks so much for stopping by and adding your great insights, Tom!
Excellent, Terri! In too many organizations there’s “leadership” and “do-ers” and the disconnect leads to disengagement and power struggles.
In addition to your questions I’d ask: “What do you think we need to do next?” Instead of filling the silence (maybe the team doesn’t believe that you really want to know or you already have a course of action in mind) … wait. If they need more time to get their thoughts together, give it to them. Move from top-down to co-creating.
Will be sharing this with some leaders I know who need some knock outs.
What a great question to ask, Alli- “What do you think we need to do next?”! I agree that co-creating and empower some more collaboration can be very impactful for a team that feels a bit disconnected and unwilling to try their hardest.
Also I think power struggles as you suggest can be a byproduct of team members feeling unimportant or worthless. The managers in my workshop decided to figure out what really drives each person and play to those strengths. Hopefully this process will cultivate more trust and respect.
Thanks Alli for your thoughtful additions!