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The true
measure of team leaders is not how many followers
they have, but how many leaders have grown up around
them. This is the final measure of effective
leadership. Expect things from a person, including
yourself, and stand back to experience the awe of
watching them respond. They’ll surprise you every time;
they’ll exceed your wildest expectations. This is the
prime characteristic of leadership: leading others to
their best and highest selves in the same way you may now
be seeking a leadership coach or
leadership training to do the same for
you.
If you lead from a place of authenticity,
the people you work with will look at you differently,
respond to you in new ways, cooperate and contribute
where previously you only felt resistance. What do you
think they were resisting? They didn’t want to be
instruments of your own ego. That’s the message you were
sending if you viewed people primarily through the prism
of what they could do for you. Just as you may value
yourself primarily based on what you do, or how much you
have, rather than for who you are.
We'll start
leadership coaching with you by asking you to:
1.
Start acknowledging people – as people. Not just
compliments about something they’ve just done on the
job, which we all sense on some level can be faked
(“Nice presentation”, “Good comments in that meeting”),
but really acknowledging the person: “You have a
real knack for finding the best consensus solution.” “Your creativity is usually what gets us unstuck from
any stagnant meeting.” Some compliments are about you
and your opinion, ultimately; they’re still about you. The best kind, though, are about the other person. Watch
the recipient visibly brighten, whether line employee or
CEO.
2. Develop people. Acknowledge them,
and then start bringing out the best in them. Ask a lot
out of them, but not because you are trying to dump work
on them or prove your authority. Do it because you
believe, and can communicate, that you think they can do
it. If you ask something of someone that may be even
larger than they could dream doing, you elevate their
self-perception: He thinks I can do this. Or,
She believes in me. We fill up the space of the
expectations around us, no differently from
children.
You must be authentic. This is not a
tool for manipulation (getting others to do work for
which you take credit, etc.). If your intent is not
sincere, you won’t be effective at this for long. It
will backfire.
3. Lead people to their
strengths. Use all that you know about bringing out
the best in you to help bring out the best in those you
lead. Help people see how they are limiting themselves
in their performance, expectations, and careers and how
they can grow – perhaps just as you have. Did someone do
that for you? Did someone point out a hurdle for you, or
point out a blind spot, gently? Coach someone else. Start now. Is there someone to whom you could send
an email with some generosity in it? They may never
forget it, it's so rare.
4.
Allow people to
manage up. Solicit 360-degree feedback. Ask others
how you can help them do a better job. This may include
listening to them tell you how you can be a better, more
effective supervisor or manager, or a better colleague. Your ego can take it. If it can’t, what are you doing in
that role? If it can’t, you’re misplaced, or you’ve got
a lot more work to do, possibly through
leadership coaching.
For coaching or training with team leaders, contact
us now for a
free coaching consultation.
Leadership Traits
Leadership
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