Better than Team-Building
By: Muehrcke, Jill
Issue: Apr/May/Jun 2016
Peter Drucker had it right: “So much of what we call management consists of making it difficult for people to work.” It’s as true today as when he said it decades ago.
The good news is that when you make it simpler for people to work, you make it easier on yourself, too. You stop worrying, controlling, and trying to fix things. You stop blaming people and noticing all the things they do wrong. Instead, you zero in on people’s good points, encourage them to use those strengths, then watch them flourish.
Real power in leadership comes from partnering, not criticizing, as the authors of The Hands-Off Manager: How to Mentor People and Allow Them to Be Successful point out. Your job as manager is to understand people, see more in them than they see, and invite them into that vision.
Hands-off managers get results from an engaged, highly productive team. But they have no need for team-building exercises, because they lead in a culture in which teamwork is effortless (see “The End of Team Building Training”).
Such a culture revolves around mentoring, coaching, and communicating. It means learning as much as you can about the people you work with, discovering what they love to do, and then matching their talents with the tasks ahead.
Before you can help others do what they love, however, it’s vital to look within yourself. You need to manage your own inner life, become attuned to your intuition, and understand your life’s purpose. You must tap in to the power and wisdom of your subconscious (see “Five Steps to Creative Problem Solving”).
The better you know yourself, the better you’ll be as a mentor and manager. Knowing yourself is also vital in helping others home in on their own purpose and passion.
Once you’re clear on your personal truths, you can begin to embed them into your organization’s culture, mission, and values. This is one place where language is all-important. How you communicate your truths matters, as David Casullo emphasizes in Leading the High-Energy Culture. He recommends looking deep inside yourself to find a personal story that will bring your key values to life for others.
As a leader, you may sometimes forget that people want to get to know you. When you tell stories from your experience, you humanize yourself, connect with others, and get your point across in the most memorable way possible. (Turn to “Tell Me a Story, Please!”.)
When telling your own narrative or communicating a message, think first about your audience. Who are they? What key questions will they have? Answer those questions first. Don’t neglect the central question they’ll have on their minds (they won’t ask it out loud but you can be sure they’re thinking it): “So what?” In other words, what does your message have to do with their lives? Why should they listen? What does it matter?
Certainty belongs to those who haven’t thought very deeply about the issues. The more you know about something, the more there is to know. The greatest leaders aren’t those
who always have a ready answer. They’re the ones who continue asking good questions.
Asking questions instead of giving lectures is the essence of the Socrates approach. Socrates believed the best way to teach was to start not with statements but with questions. Instead of being the expert, he invited others to contribute. Rather than controlling knowledge, he helped draw out the experiences of others. You’re participating in his wisdom every time you seek solutions through others rather than assuming you have all the answers. (Take a look at “Questions to Change Your Life”.)
Keep asking questions. Ask them of yourself. Ask them of everyone you meet. Ask people how you can help them. Ask them when they feel happiest and what tasks they enjoy most. Ask them what they find most fulfilling. And never stop asking the question that’s at the heart of building relationships and bringing out the best in your team: “What do you think?”
Four Things to Do Next Monday
Here are a few concrete things you can do right now to begin transforming your organization.
- Take the quiz to rate your organization’s trust factor.
- Think of a problem you are having, and start garnering some innovative solutions with the tips in “Think Like a Fish.”
- Check that you’re using the best phone apps for promoting your organization (“The Top Five Digital Tools You should Be Using Right Now”).
- Consider a unique experience you could offer people (start by reading “To Gain Passionate Supporters, Try a Fantasy Camp” and “Making Fantasy a Reality”.
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