Welcome back! For the next few weeks we’ll shift our focus from leadership of the self, to leadership of the team. Teams are awesome! One of life’s greatest experiences is working synergistically with a group of people towards a common goal for the greater good. Exponential results become not just possible, but probable when everyone is driven by the same vision. Taking a quantum leap forward together is an amazing experience. If you have never known the sheer joy of leading a team to victory you are missing out.
Teams can bring about the very best in a person, inspiring them to dig deeper within themselves to succeed than they ever would have had the strength to achieve on their own. As a leader, you bear a sacred responsibility and privilege to get your part of the equation right. You owe the team your very best. As we learned previously, having your own self in order is the bedrock upon which your leadership will be built. If you’re dysfunctional yourself, you will never see the dysfunction of other people or situations in the work environment, and you will be an unmitigated disaster. There is no such thing as neutral leadership. You are either good enough, or you are having an adverse impact. The perils of abdicating responsibility are almost as bad as the perils of mistreating the team. If you are parked on your hiney refusing to listen to issues, make decisions, or be proactive in creating a great environment for your team, you will quickly earn people’s contempt. One of the most ridiculous phrases a leader can ever utter is “if you don’t do anything about it, the problem will take care of itself.” No! The problem most assuredly will not take care of itself! In fact it will get worse. Much worse, until one day it blows up in your face. In the meantime, people will accurately see you as weak, spineless, and a whole lot of other adjectives that aren’t fit for print. Resentment towards you will grow until you are viewed with total scorn. You’ll also be taken advantage of by those under your command who will sniff out and exploit your weakness every chance they get. Toxic workplaces are allowed to gain traction every time a leader fails to lead.
Until next time, do right by your team and know that I’ll be praying for you!
