Investing in Others 🤝
“For our own success to be real, it must contribute to the success of others.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
Micromanagers are usually the example of what not to do in leadership. We’ve all heard or experienced what it’s like to have a leader who gets into the weeds, ultimately undermining their teams. The opposite approach of this style is to invest in teams, providing accountability and enough room to problem solve without constant leadership intervention. This does not mean the leader is absent, but instead, the leader only gets involved to provide guidance to the team and then steps back to allow the team to move forward.
This week on Learning to Lead live we explored this topic as it relates to the concepts within the book “Multipliers” by Liz Wiseman. In this week’s newsletter, we share how the multiplier leader invests in others to unlock talent, while avoiding the pitfalls of the diminisher, micromanaging leader.
How does the multiplier leader invest in others:
When something is off the rails they invest in the success of others by providing the resources and ownership they need to produce results independently
They expect results
They may assist or share ideas, but return accountability for action
They create teams that are free from the nagging need of leader to rescue them
They create teams that are self sufficient and can operate without their constant presence
What does the diminisher leader do instead:
They fail to give or return ownership, instead creating dependent organizations
They do not believe people can deliver results without their help
They jump in to save the day and thrive on being the hero and receiving kudos
What are the practices leaders can use to become investors?
Defining Ownership: Establish ownership up front and find intelligent, capable people and put them in charge
Name the lead: identify and name who is accountable creating clarity for their role within the team. This allows leaders on the team to build confidence and shifts roles from second-guessing to gathering second opinions.
Give Ownership for the End Goal: Remind people that their job is to optimize the whole, not their individual piece. This reminds them to focus on the bigger picture, and expand their thinking beyond their scope.
Stretch the Role: Incite growth by asking people to stretch or do something they’ve never done before
Investing Resources: It is easy to assume the leader is the one who needs to provide all resources. This limits the options to what the leader knows and what time or energy they have to invest. If the leader is the sole investor their presence can be overpowering and their attempts to help can be more disrupting than beneficial. Instead:
Teach and Coach: Establish ownership and then invest by infusing the knowledge and resources needed to deliver. It is also important to teach by helping the team solve real problems (even if the leader knows the solution, don’t offer it, instead try to tease out the answer with questions: What do we know about what doesn’t work? What assumptions led us to these outcomes? What risks do we face now that need to be mitigated?)
Provide Backup: Know that when people are stretched and working above their current capability level, they are bound to trip up or take false steps. Ensure there is a safety net in place, both as the leader, as well as other colleagues that can provide backup and advice.
Holding People Accountable:
Give back accountability! After providing guidance when needed, give accountability back to others and keep it there.
Expect Complete Work: Never do anything for people that they can do for themselves and encourage people to stretch and exercise their intellectual muscles.
Respect Natural Consequences: Allow consequences to having their effect allowing natural forces to inform intelligent action. This builds confidence and helps grow teams who can sustain without leadership involvement.
Key Takeaways:
“Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” - Barak Obama
Listen to the Full Replay
The next Learning to Lead Live event will be on Saturday, August 6 @ 9:30 am PT. The topic will be shared on Wednesday (August 3) so be sure to subscribe for updates and reminders!
Resources
Multipliers by Liz Wiseman: The book we are digging into for the next few weeks, packed with so many amazing leadership lessons
The Multiplier Effect: The first session in our series
The Talent Magnet: The second discussion in our series
The Tyrant 🚫 vs The Liberator 🙌🏻: The third discussion in our series
The Know-it-All 🥸 vs. The Challenger 🫵🏻: The fourth discussion in our series
Being a Debate Maker vs only a Decision Maker: the fifth discussion in our series
INBOUND 2022 - September 6th - 9th, 2022: INBOUND is an annual event, powered by HubSpot, that unites thought leaders from over 161 countries across marketing, sales, customer success, and revenue operations.
Tech Up For Women Conference San Diego - October 6, 2022:
Tech Up for Women believes tech knowledge is critical for every career journey. Join them for a one-day event to advance yourself through fast-moving topics to embrace new ideas and innovation.
Ted Women Online Event - October 24-28, 2022: An online festival offering interviews with leading women on change, on work, on rights, on joy and on the future.
Newsletters I read daily to stay informed and get inspired: The Hustle, Morning Brew, Seth Godin’s Blog, Atlas Obscura, Oprah Daily
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