Years ago, I took over an area that had a leader in place and my job was to make that area successful. Because the existing leader had a rapport with the team, I trusted what was happening and what I heard about the progress. When we got to the end of the project, it had failed miserably.
When I look back, it failed because I did not do a good job executing with the team and teaching them how to execute. Instead, I just got information, believed it and went on.
Great leadership is not delegation. You have to make sure you’re helping your team execute. How do you do that? You get in there!
I’m not saying to go all crazy and micro manage. It’s your job as a leader to make your team successful. Make sure they have every single thing necessary to succeed. Are their questions being answered? Are they reporting to you in a proper and concise way? Are the numbers real? “I feel like we can do this” or “It looks like we’re going to hit these numbers” wont cut it. Instead, ask “What are we doing?” “What are our projections and what are the numbers we’ve done so far?”
If you don’t get in there and follow up and check what you expect, then guess what? You’re not going to get what you expect. Instead, you’ll probably be severely disappointed. As a leader, it’s your job to make sure your team has everything they need to execute each project.
Question: How do you make your team successful?
Resources:
Inspect what you expect. Great message Chris!
Thanks Shannon!
I got all excited because I thought the title was “How to Execute a Leader.”
Alas, it is not.
For me, I tend to live in extremes. As in extreme micromanage or control-freak or delegation with no follow up or accountability.
When I would do the latter, I’d get ticked that stuff wasn’t getting done and swing back to the other extreme. Then I’d get tired, swing back the other way, and…the cycle continues.
I’ve learned to temper that by delegating a lot and requiring people to report on what they are doing and the progress we are making. That is working much better than the other two approaches 🙂
It’s amazing what the two letters “as” can do to change the meaning
I have SO much to learn about this! I struggle with the balance.
THIS, was spot-on. As leaders it’s so ‘easy’ to get ourselves so wrapped in on what’s next, and go charging off for the next thing we think we should be focusing on. If my goal as a leader is to help make SURE that the project me and the team are involved in is a success, then they will want to follow us as leaders. Instead of having mistrust because of our lack of attentiveness to the little failures that happened by not seeing the project through to completion and success. This was just what I needed! Thanks Chris!
I know a VP of Tech. that asks his team “How things are going?” and when he gets back the answer of “Good”, he believes it and doesn’t bother anymore.
A friend of mine who is a Director under him, has continued to ask him to dig deeper and ask better questions. That they need more leadership from him. His response is the team’s are good and nothing else really needs to be done.
There definitely needs to be some trust, but leadership does need to involve themselves into the team and show you care. A lot of times this is done by asking questions, more in depth questions.
Good ole Chris keeps me from sliding into BLB (Bad Leader Behavior) again! Thanks for the reminder to balance delegation, trust and direct involvement with my team.