The Leading Edge: Leading Teams is about WE, not ME

By: Amy Modglin

As a young leader in my 20’s who was thrust into a leadership position, I failed miserably. I focused on my title and led with my ideas. It was my agenda only, and I neglected my team. The decisions were mine, and nothing else mattered to me. I thought mostly about myself and how to make myself look better.

Luckily, I learned so much from my failures as a leader. When you take the focus off yourself and put it back onto others, leading teams can be much easier, more successful and extremely rewarding. I’d like to share some of the important lessons I learned from this failure and what I’ve learned from leading teams around the world since then.

1. Get to know your team – Get to know them on a personal level. Learn about their family, their hopes and dreams, what gets them energized and where they struggle the most. Allow them to get to know you as well. The more authentic you are with your team, the more you will see the cohesiveness of your team build to new levels. Get to know them enough that you are able stay tuned into when they need you the most.
2. Listen to your team – Your ideas are not always the best. Remember, the team is doing the work every day. Let them have a seat at the table when decisions are being made. When they can take ownership in the things that are happening, chances are they will be engaged and more successful. Talk through ideas as a team. Have brainstorming sessions to capture everyone’s perspective and collaborate on what will be the most beneficial to the team.
3. Encourage them/celebrate successes – People need to feel valued. Everyone needs encouragement. Do you know how the team needs to be encouraged? Some people like public recognition, and others prefer words of affirmation in private. If they do not believe in themselves, do what my mentor Mark Cole does. Let them borrow your belief in them long enough to live off it to take action.
4. Ask for feedback/give feedback – Before asking for or giving feedback, you should set expectations. Teams often break down when there are no expectations set. When things are not going well, it is crucial to sit down and have difficult conversations. The same goes for when things are going well. Never leave your team wondering if you are pleased with their performance. It is equally as important for you to get feedback on how you are leading and connecting with your team. Get this feedback from those who you are leading as well as peers who are watching your leadership.
5. Empower your team – John Maxwell states, “You know you have truly empowered someone when the ball is in their court and you do not have to think about it anymore.” Now, empowerment is something that must be earned. You need to trust the person you are empowering. To gain the trust, you must give them opportunities to try. Once they know you trust them, they will soar like an eagle.

John Maxwell tells us that one is too small of a number to achieve greatness. If you want to lead a successful team, you need to spotlight the whole team. Including everyone as a valued member is going to make your team stronger and more dedicated, and, when everyone is marching to the beat of the same drum, you will see momentum rise!

My challenge to you is to get to know your team members. Do you know the answers to these questions: What are they passionate about? What makes them lose sleep at night? What do they laugh about? Cry about? Do they know the same about you? When is the last time you asked them for their opinions or their ideas? Do you know how they feel about you as a leader? When is the last time you have given them feedback beyond the required annual review? When is the last time you celebrated their success? And finally, when is the last time you let them know you believe in them by empowering them to do something significant? If you cannot easily answer these questions, I encourage you to dig in and start making some important changes in you and your team today!

Amy Modglin is a certified John Maxwell Team coach, trainer and speaker. She is also the President of Modglin Leadership Solutions. Through both the John Maxwell Team and her own company, Amy invests in people and organizations through transformational leadership training and coaching, all of which are tailored to the needs of her customers. Amy is also an Executive Director with the John Maxwell Team and serves on the President’s Advisory Council and the Culture Awards Team. Amy is a passionate, inspirational and accomplished leader. Coming from a background in healthcare, Amy has always been passionate about serving people. Amy was a Chief Hospital Corpsman in the US Navy and has led teams all over the world. After the Navy, she returned to healthcare, leading complex teams and reaching organizational pursuits. Amy holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership and Coaching from Regent University. With over 20 years of leadership and training experience coupled with having some of the best mentors in the world, Amy is equipped to bring value to you or your organization. Her motto is, “Unleash your inner amazing!”

You can learn more about Amy at http://www.johncmaxwellgroup.com/amymodglin/.