Here’s the thing, running a business is tough, being a leader is tough, and leading and inspiring a team can be even tougher.
I want to share 3 ways you can make a difference with your team, starting now. Ready, Set, GO!
Leading is all about connecting and building relationships that have a foundation of trust- if you can do that, you are golden. It’s simple, but not easy. Truthfully, your day is probably consumed with so many other tasks, so many things you need to get done to keep things ticking along. So, this requires serious effort on your part, and you need become real intentional about it….schedule it if you have to! Connecting with your team is crucial to retention, first class customer service and productivity, thus your bottom line.
The reality is, the majority of your day needs to be spent with your people, with your teams.
Here are 3 tips that you can implement starting RIGHT now.
1. Share the Plan. This means you need to communicate some happenings within the company, or organization. Many companies like to keep ‘big secrets’ and not share news in the organization- they like to ‘keep people guessing’. Not only is this ego fueled, but such old school thinking. It’s insecure management. So, share the plan, ask for opinions, after all, 10 brains are better than one
2. Be vulnerable. You don’t have to be a superhero all the time, of course you need to keep it together as a leader, but it’s okay to let you team see your vulnerabilities. It’s okay to let them know you are human – your teams will admire the heck out of this. This takes courage and confidence
3. Seek out the GOOD stuff and say thanks. Be a seeker of talent, find and recognize it. Have conversations daily- let go of the ‘annual review’ and communicate daily.
These 3 tips are so simple and will ultimately transform your teams. Why have just a ‘team’ when you can have a ‘dream team’.
Do you make a difference?
Nobody said making a difference was easy, it can be simple, but it ain’t easy.
To us, at Katy Loewen Co. that’s what leadership means, making a difference. We know that leadership encompasses many things, but ultimately, it’s influence, and making a difference.
The cool thing about Strength/Leadership Coaching, is that we all have these incredible, natural talents, you know, stuff that we are good at naturally. Or stuff that really makes our heart sing…but yet all too often we are forced to work in areas where we don’t shine, where we don’t vibe really high….where we don’t’ excel.
Perhaps our life’s circumstances dictate this, bills to pay, we don’t have the courage or the means to make a change, perhaps things have changed beyond our control, or we are just stuck.
Being stuck sucks.
There is something powerful that happens when you uncover, discover and start really living and leading in your natural strength zone. It’s magical, it’s validating, it’s exciting, it’s exhilarating, it’s rewarding, it’s contagious, it’s beautiful.
Weakness schmeakness. Listen, we all have them, we know we have them. But let’s not obsess about them, or point them out, or lose your coconuts by spending half your life trying to change them. Instead, simply acknowledge them, manage them and move the heck on. It’s all good.
As a Strengths Coaches, we keep it real, and you’ll hear us say this often, 'we help discover more of who you are, not who you are not’.
So, even if you are stuck, or feel you can’t possibly make a difference due to your circumstances, know that you can. You most certainly can.
I encourage you to tap into your strengths today, become keenly aware of the areas in which you can make a difference. If you are in charge of a team, if you are a co-worker, a volunteer, a parent, a friend… ask someone to tell you about their weekend plans – and actually LISTEN to their response. If someone comes into your office and needs something, lift up your head, put your phone down and actually listen. Let someone KNOW how they impacted you this week. This is leadership.
Today, I’ve decided I’m going to rock my Woo (my favourite strength!) today and really embrace my place.
