Seven ways to make your team successful in 2021

Seven ways to make your team successful in 2021

In my previous blog post, I wrote about the importance of learning to lead yourself well before leading others to success. 

As a leader, you have the power to influence and enable others to grow and succeed. Every single interaction you have, either virtually or in-person, is an opportunity to raise their awareness, to get them to think better, make wiser choices, and all that, in turn, will impact the outcomes they deliver.

Here are seven ways you can bring out the best in your teams and make them more successful. 

1. Look for greatness

Each team member has greatness within them; your work as a leader is to look, recognise and acknowledge it, help the individual identify their talent, potential and harness it. 

Look for what they do well, appreciate, acknowledge, and inspire them to do more of it. Coach, support them in raising their self-awareness, lead them from confusion to clarity.

2. Meet them where they are at

A team consists of people with varying levels of capabilities, talent, aspirations and experience. Consider this a gift and cherish it. Celebrate the diversity, make the most of the richness and harness it. 

Meet them where they currently are, lead them towards your vision, make them a part of it, inspire them, and make it safe for them to bring their unique selves. Play the conductor’s role who combines the uniqueness into a team’s specific strength.

3. Empower them

Come from a place of belief; it makes a difference. Team members will be willing to go beyond the call of duty when they know the leaders believe in them. Teach and enable them, share your knowledge and wisdom generously, invest in them, give them the time and space to deliver value, Let it be your mission to make it easy for them to succeed. You win when they do.

4. Listen well

As an Executive Coach, I have spent the last ten years listening to various clients speak of their dreams, aspirations, goals, challenges and fears. If there is one leadership superpower I can identify for you, it would be the art of listening well. 

People want their leaders to listen to them. People everywhere, irrespective of their position or experience, need to be heard; it’s a desire right across organisations. 

Encourage open conversations, listen with the intent to understand, avoid judging or interrupting them. Let their words bring you insights; I repeat, listening can be your superpower. Hone it.

5. Build courage

Fear robs people of their talent, creativity and cerebral power. Courage allows potential to flower; You need a team that is confident and courageous. 

Show up each day with courage and conviction; do it often enough so they role model you, show them that it is safe, exciting and rewarding to be courageous. 

Nudge them to take risks, support them as they navigate the unknowns, display patience and understanding. The more courage they develop, the more innovation and creativity that you can unleash. A team with high cerebral power firing on all cylinders is unstoppable.

6. Respect boundaries

The people you lead while they follow you will have their style, ways of working and getting things done. As part of their work interactions, they will build networks, relationships and even friendships with others from cross-functional teams and units. 

They may or may not want you to be privy to all of these interactions, respect that.

Judge them by the outcomes they deliver, in the way they show up and collaborate, the way they cooperate and work on team goals. Avoid probing anything and everything outside of that unless there is an ethics or integrity issue. 

Freedom is an essential value for most people. Honour that.

You are their manager, not the guardian, be empathetic, hear them out, and support them if they reach out for help on personal matters, otherwise focus on making them independent and respect boundaries. 

7.Be the role model

Leadership is a responsibility that has far-reaching implications in shaping teams, work culture, individual well being and quality of service, delivery.

Resolve to demonstrate integrity, good judgement, competence, commitment, patience. Show up, speak up, stand for something, communicate your vision and support your team each time they work towards it. 

When the situation arises, be willing to do things you want your teams to do. Go beyond and support them where necessary. Show them the power of each one looking out for the other. 

Lastly, Please treat them with respect and dignity, honour your values and theirs.

The greatest gift you can give your teams is to help them become aware of their incredible potential and teach them how to harness it.

Create an environment that builds resilience, innovation, creativity and compassion. When you strive to bring the best in your people, you are investing in creating your leadership legacy. 

 May 2021, see your leadership reach new heights. 

Points to Ponder

1. Are you aware of the values that matter to your team members?
2. What changes in behaviour do you need to make to support your teams better?
3. What skills do you need to enhance, amplify to lead them effectively?