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Leadership Reboot - Everyone's Role is Important
***Check out the entire Leadership Reboot Series!***
Read - Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Review - From a young age we are all taught the importance of playing nice on a team. We participate in play groups, play dodge ball at recess, and involve in organized sports. We engage in group projects in the classroom, ensembles in music, study sessions in church. As a child or teenager, teams are typically led by an overseeing adult and the largest focus is to be nice and get along. Easy, right? WRONG! There is nothing simple and natural about creating a high performing team where all individuals appreciate one another's diversity on thoughts and experiences. The base layer of teamwork is appreciation and understanding of everyone's role. Though getting along and being nice is important, we often miss this foundational step.
A year into my career I was a part of a team with three different areas of technology expertise. I was able to learn two of the three areas and had been told by someone that the third was an area to stay away from. That area tended to receive significant night support calls and unrealistic deadlines. It was also not recognized as the newer, more cutting edge, technology. One day, several members of the team were chatting in the workspace about our upcoming project. I stated, "I don't ever want to be a mainframer". A lady, 20 years my senior said, outraged I might add, "I'm tired of you saying bad things about what I do!". She was right. I was insensitive to the people who work on that platform every day. I wasn't respecting or showing my understanding of the value her specific work provided to the team. I was undermining it and behaving in a way that placed my role on a pedestal above hers.
I didn't respond well. I wound up in my managers office. This was the first time I cried at work (which is OK, I'll write about this topic another time! By the way, of you lead people, it's a MUST to have a box of tissues in your office!) I wasn't upset with my teammate but was convicted of my own personal behavior.
Here are a few tips to both demonstrate and show appreciation for the roles of others:
So, how did my story end? The lady on the team and I wound up having a face-to-face, private conversation. She initiated the dialog, which is a positive reflection on her professional maturity. We talked through it, we both apologized, and we made it through the project. Funny thing, a year or so later, due to a need, I also learned how to work on that technology platform!
I am thankful this occurred so early in my career. We can't accomplish anything on our own. It takes a team!!! Be sure to understand and appreciate everyone's roles!
Reflect - Who do I work with that I need to be intentional in building a more meaningful relationship?
Remind - Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 - Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!
Relate - #leadership #workingtogether #relationships #diversity
***Check out the entire Leadership Reboot Series!***
Read - Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Review - From a young age we are all taught the importance of playing nice on a team. We participate in play groups, play dodge ball at recess, and involve in organized sports. We engage in group projects in the classroom, ensembles in music, study sessions in church. As a child or teenager, teams are typically led by an overseeing adult and the largest focus is to be nice and get along. Easy, right? WRONG! There is nothing simple and natural about creating a high performing team where all individuals appreciate one another's diversity on thoughts and experiences. The base layer of teamwork is appreciation and understanding of everyone's role. Though getting along and being nice is important, we often miss this foundational step.
A year into my career I was a part of a team with three different areas of technology expertise. I was able to learn two of the three areas and had been told by someone that the third was an area to stay away from. That area tended to receive significant night support calls and unrealistic deadlines. It was also not recognized as the newer, more cutting edge, technology. One day, several members of the team were chatting in the workspace about our upcoming project. I stated, "I don't ever want to be a mainframer". A lady, 20 years my senior said, outraged I might add, "I'm tired of you saying bad things about what I do!". She was right. I was insensitive to the people who work on that platform every day. I wasn't respecting or showing my understanding of the value her specific work provided to the team. I was undermining it and behaving in a way that placed my role on a pedestal above hers.
I didn't respond well. I wound up in my managers office. This was the first time I cried at work (which is OK, I'll write about this topic another time! By the way, of you lead people, it's a MUST to have a box of tissues in your office!) I wasn't upset with my teammate but was convicted of my own personal behavior.
Here are a few tips to both demonstrate and show appreciation for the roles of others:
- Get to know them - It's not difficult to talk about the weather and sports, but why not personalize the conversation. An easy lead in is to ask how they spent the previous weekend. Build into asking about their family and hobbies. Through questions, you can figure out what makes them tick and identify ways to show appreciation. Caution: Be gradual about how you get to know someone. Begin with the easy questions and then use sound judgement to decide how much you should ask about.
- Understand how and what they contribute - Like "get to know them", ask questions. Most people take pride in and enjoy talking about what they do. Learn about the journey they've been on to get them to where they are right now. This helps develop understanding of how they contribute. Overstate that you want to learn about what they do for the team. Caution: Watch for nonverbal clues that the individual. Sometimes people have skepticism at why you would care about their work.
- Compliment their work - Praise and recognition is critical in team dynamics. Once an understanding of the individual and their contributions is attained, it's easier to see the "wins" of the team. Like when sports teams give high fives after a good play, our peers and teammates also need recognition. This can come in several forms such as in private vs. public, verbal vs. written, or words vs. tangible items (like certificates or money). Caution: Be authentic with complements and praise. If you aren't real, it is meaningless and actually does more harm than good.
- Open up - Conversations and relationship building is a two-way street. Know there is a time to speak up and share about yourself, your experiences, and how you contribute. The progress of showing appreciation can become negated if skepticism and doubt begin to creep into the mind of the individual. If you aren't sharing, they may doubt your intentions. Caution: Listen more than you speak. Some of us are good talkers (me included) so it takes a conscience effort to listen while also opening up.
So, how did my story end? The lady on the team and I wound up having a face-to-face, private conversation. She initiated the dialog, which is a positive reflection on her professional maturity. We talked through it, we both apologized, and we made it through the project. Funny thing, a year or so later, due to a need, I also learned how to work on that technology platform!
I am thankful this occurred so early in my career. We can't accomplish anything on our own. It takes a team!!! Be sure to understand and appreciate everyone's roles!
Reflect - Who do I work with that I need to be intentional in building a more meaningful relationship?
Remind - Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 - Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!
Relate - #leadership #workingtogether #relationships #diversity