STAFFING RESOURCE CENTER

Do you know what your team wants from you as a leader? I know that most leaders want to deliver what their teams want but having worked with thousands of people at all levels, I know people aren't always getting it. And to make it worse, our training and beliefs about leading can get in the way of giving it to them.

What We Think They Want

Whether we buy into the traditional leadership persona of the leader or not, we have been conditioned by experience, society, and our own career path to think that our teams want our advice and expertise.

We've been promoted because we are smart and build subject matter expertise and knowledge - those things were clearly valued in getting us to our role as a leader. Beyond that, it is seductive to be looked to for answers. Our battle scars and experience give us wisdom, and, whether ego-driven or not, we want to share it. And we have been trained to solve problems and make decisions, so when our teams come to us with a situation or a problem, we put on our expected and comfortable problem-solving hat.

You see the team member as having a problem to solve, and you want to help. Chances are you do have knowledge, wise counsel, and advice to share with your team. And there is a time and a place to share it.

But that isn't always what your team wants - or what they want first.

What They Want More of (Instead)

Beyond your advice, they want your attention. They want to be heard and asked for their opinion. They want to know that you value their ideas and insights, even if they are incomplete. When we stop what we are doing and focus on others and their ideas, agendas and issues, we build a relationship that is more important than the answer to any specific question. When we give our time and attention to our team and to individual team members, they know through our actions that we value them.

Beyond your expertise, they want your ears. Listen to them before you give them answers. Hear what they are excited about, struggling with and yes, what they are wondering about. Have you ever given advice, and later realized it was incomplete (or inaccurate) because you didn't really understand what the situation was or what you were being asked? When we (really) listen, people know they have been heard.

Your team wants to be valued and heard - and you deliver that with your attention and ears. And yes, they sometimes want (and need) your advice and expertise too. But when you start by giving them your attention and ears, they will be more receptive and ready for the advice too.

Your team wants (and needs) your attention and your ears. Are you giving your team what they want, or what you want them to want?

What your team wants is a leader who is skilled, attentive, and confident. Delivering those things has never been harder - because the role of leading keeps changing. If you lead a remote, hybrid or flexible team, you know your role and what your team wants (and needs) keeps changing. If you want to deliver for them - and for your organization, join us for the Long-Distance Leadership Series where we will help you gain the skills, insights and confidence to lead today - in the ever-more complex world of work. Learn more and register here.