Why we all have a natural ability to lead and how you can leverage your strengths.
When it comes to leading a team, we think of leaning in and pursuing. This is the more popularly taught style of leadership.
The biggest problem when leaders start working with us: they’ve learned only one way of leading. That style of leadership isn’t something that comes naturally, so their team feels the disconnect, therefore creating an inconsistent team culture.
You absolutely can lean into a softer style of management to lead a team to success. This might sound foreign because there are not enough examples out there…YET.
Humans have a super power of community, holding space and understanding. Your challenge while reading this: shift the belief of pursuing into receiving, problem solver into facilitator, task mindset into a harvest mindset.
What is a harvest mindset? Think of PCA:
Preparing the fields: providing the tools, skillset, environment and training for your team to thrive.
Checking in on growth: asking for feedback, getting curious vs frustrated, ask questions to support growth
Adjusting where it's needed: take the action to make a change. This can look like, listening more instead of responding, following through on a promise, taking action on feedback you’ve received.
Practicing PCA allows us to fully support each individual on our team without being at the center, needing to be needed. (see the issue on codependency)
All of this requires you, the leader, to practice severing the tie between your personal worth with the work that you do. Once you can put this into practice, feedback becomes data not a personal attack. Which breeds change and a thriving magnetic company culture.
This skill alone will allow you to actually hear what your team is saying, so that you can adjust where it’s needed. People want to be heard, seen and valued. Building that bond of trust requires you, the leader, to stop trying to solve the problem and just listen.
When you focus on going into every team member's conversation thinking “there is a problem to be solved, and I must solve it”, this does not allow for any room for conversation. Conversation is how we connect with others. When we connect with others we trust them more.
When we trust them more, we assume the best case scenario giving the other person the benefit of the doubt (can someone say conflict resolution?!)
Think of facilitating growth, as opposed to solving a problem. Shifting into being the facilitator will do give you 3 opportunities:
You get to be the big picture, supporting your team's growth. Being able to see the far out vision is imperative for your team's success. If they are 1% off every day over the course of a month, you won’t notice. But a year? You can be radically far from where you first set your goal.
Remember this: Make sure your team is all in one boat, rowing in the same direction. Otherwise you’re staying in motion instead of making forward traction. Think of running really fast around the world to the right vs. slow steady rows forward.
You ACTUALLY can delegate with peace of mind because you are empowering your team to be independent problem solvers. If this makes you nervous because you don’t trust them to do a good job, try this secret sauce for conflict resolution:
How would YOU solve this conflict?
What would allow them to slow down and address the root issue?
Your team is more enticed not to quit because they know they are supported and valued
It’s getting harder and harder to keep people. More competition requires more action from you, the leader, to stay trained and equipped with new skills and tools to keep those awesome humans you employ.
Results do not happen by accident, they happen from action. Action breeds action.
All of this JUST by leaning more into your facilitator super power; facilitating growth, fostering community and supporting others.
Ask yourself this today: Am I willing to do what is required to see the change I want to see in my team?
