- Talk in the “we” not just me. This can be difficult for highly competitive people who are more individualists. The win is more of the priority than the team. Winning is important, but as Michael Jordan learned through the coaching from Phil Jackson, he could not win the championship alone.
- Recognize that mistakes are part of the learning process. Adversity and error can be viewed in many ways. Great leaders see that mistakes are a pathway to growth if handled well. They are opportunities to mentor, build relationships, and empower an employee.
- Replace the word “failure” with other words in your vocabulary like learning experience or test. We can say “You are wrong,” or we can say “You might be right.” We are saying the same thing with different results in a conversation.
- Know your personal strengths and limits. You cannot be all things to all people. That is hard to admit and accept for some leaders. Be humble when it comes to your strengths and limitations and be willing to accept that there may be someone else who can be more effective in a situation than you could be.
- Set healthy boundaries for your personal time and involvement based on your personal goals. With our global 24/7 economy, this is becoming a greater struggle for businesses who work in the 7 daya a week business. You are no good to anyone including yourself if you are in a state of burnout. Learn to say the health “no” to rejuvenate yourself and the relationships in your family.
- Include all contributors’ names on reports, memos, and other communication. There are employees that are motivated by a sense of security in their job roles and those that are motivated by recognition. In this case, you feed both in their own way and feed their own internal empowerment.
- Constantly communicate and repeat your reason for working together. Use technology to your advantage. In today’s technology driven workplace, there is no excuse for lack of communication. How long does it take to say “Thanks” in an email or text? Communication is key to the empowered environment at all levels of the business. I suggested one leader of a company to reduce is 64 ounce jug of water to a 12 ounce bottle so that he would have to get up to fill it more frequently. In his travels to the cooler he would encounter at least one member of his organization and say something of value to them. Everyone wins in these moments!
- Be available for others; at the same time, encourage resourcefulness and creativity. Being a resource is not micro-managing or giving employees the solution. Share the scope of the project, the outcome and other non-negotiable details but leave room for them to apply their own unique talents. For those people who are pleasers or highly cooperative, resist enabling these qualities. When they have produced results (less than the outcome, refer back to paragraph two on mistakes) celebrate their successes.
Effective delegation gives the message: “Do whatever it takes; you have the talent!”
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