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It is a critical time for leaders to tighten up their leadership BELTs. These are four fundamental leadership practices that every leader can implement to ensure that they are instilling transformational leadership and cascading it through their team. Commit to delivering the next level of excellence.
Be the Coach and Chalk the Field
As a leader, you are expected to clearly define and communicate your expectations around a goal/initiative/OKR, create alignment and shared understanding, promote ownership, and shift accountability. Meet with each team member every week.
Ask for their biggest win or biggest challenge of the week.
Ask questions about their goals, metrics, and team or company direction.
Ask about their business processes. What’s working well? What’s broken?
Ask what they’ve learned in the past week and how that’s being applied.
Ask for one thing you can do better to support them and one thing you’re doing well that they want you to continue.
The quality of your 1:1’s is not dictated by how long they last, but by the amount of sincere interest you invest.
Thank them for their work and perseverance.
Empower Others and Celebrate Success
As a leader, it is your job to create and commit to an environment in which all team members can succeed. Create an environment to set people up for success and give them permission to do their job. Seek opportunities to reinforce the behavior you want to see. Celebrate even the small successes. This doesn't mean doing the job for others, it does mean making sure that the team's culture is growing and healthy. Hold a team huddle at least once a week.
It’s better to huddle more frequently for less time (2x per week for 20 minutes is more productive than 1x per week for an hour).
Share good news and bad news with equal transparency.
Focus on people, not metrics (communicate metrics via email).
Ask for who needs help and who can help.
Rotate responsibility for agenda-setting and facilitation.
Ask a “question of the week or day” that has nothing to do with work. What are you most grateful for this week? What did you learn about yourself this week? What is one characteristic of someone else on the team that you admire?
Create a learning challenge for the week that increases knowledge of our business, competition or customers.
Thank them for their work and perseverance.
Lead Strategically and Drive Execution
As a leader, the tough conversations and decisions will predominantly be initiated by you. Model accountability in your actions and words. Listening will be your most important ally. Course-correct as needed and embrace the role of strategic thinker for the team. Identify and address issues early.
Meet 1:1 with your supervisor weekly.
Set and send an agenda prior to your supervisor meeting.
Meet with a peer at least once a week to share, ask questions, raise concerns, and provide updates.
Meet with colleagues outside of your segment to share, ask questions, raise concerns, and provide updates.
Aggressively pursue learning opportunities.
Thank them for their work and perseverance.
Trust Others and Be Trusted
As a leader, you must practice the "platinum rule" and treat others how they wish to be treated. Assume positive intent and focus on people before metrics to build trusting and loyal relationships. Trust is built over time, and broken in seconds.
Do what you say you will do (DWYSYWD) on time, every time.
When you can’t DWYSYWD explain why.
Model self-awareness and constant improvement. Share what you learn.
Make your people your priority (cancel or postpone 1:1’s in emergencies only).
Coach and encourage everyone, not just your top or bottom performers.
Be a vocal, proactive, and positive advocate for your team.
Thank them for their work and perseverance.
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