Lead, Follow or Get Out of the Way

Written by Laurie Wang and Steve Klemke

“Lead, follow or get out of the way” is a phrase I’m sure many have heard before. If your ambition is to lead consider the following ideas and hopefully they will provide you with a few positive ideas as you develop your own leadership style.

Leading and motivating a team can be challenging at times, but its rewards are extremely worthwhile. One of the greatest challenges to leading a team is assembling the “right” team. Without a team of self-motivated, self-driven and competent individuals, the outcome becomes mediocre. At the least the team will continually require a lot of effort from either the manager or other team members. This extra effort would likely be better utilized in other areas.

The key to motivation

People on the team must be motivated, some time spent finding out what are the motivators for the various team members is a priority for any leader.

This requires time spent with each person asking the right questions. Try writing down some questions and then discussing them with a peer first before you go to your people. Always give an opportunity for open discussion and input. Goals are essential to motivation, defining what the team goals are and providing an understanding of why these are the right goals for the team are required before there can be motivation to achieve them.

Planning and accountability

Planning is about determining what actions are required to achieve organizational goals. A simple and clear plan that briefly describes the tasks or projects with prioritized completion dates and designating a champion for each task will guide timely progress toward completion. Holding regular team meetings to discuss progress and review new ideas allows the team to know how things are going within the organization. Giving appropriate praise and encouragement yet allowing each member the creativity to do their job is a great motivator. Leading a team that thinks, acts and moves forward towards goals without a lot of prodding from the manager motivates the leader of the team. Self starters, movers and shakers bring strength to the team.

The balancing act

A balance between making profit and building your team must be established. It is not easy to maintain both equally but you cannot have one without the other. When the company’s focus becomes only paying bills and making profit, people’s feelings and development are at stake. The team is built within the confines of making a profit, but it is critical to have good moral as well as loyalty to the senior management team for the team to succeed. If the team is not firing on all cylinders then a tune-up is required. If a person chooses not to show or develop loyalty to the team over a reasonable period of time, perhaps that person is not “right” or a good fit for the team. A person who chooses not to develop a sense of loyalty to the team will not be a good influence on the team in the long run.

Meeting after meeting after meeting

People often find meetings long and ineffective. However, they are essential to the success of any company. Meetings keep the team informed and up-to-date. With a little planning, your meetings will be more effective. Here are key points to running a successful meeting:

1. Meetings should be kept short, preferably less than two hours, or people’s attention spans will deteriorate.
2. An agenda should be distributed prior (preferably the day before) to the meeting and followed closely. This allows all participants to come prepared and helps the meeting run smoothly.
3. Capture in writing and set the direction or next steps for each issue or task. At the end of the meeting, go around the table and give each participant an opportunity to provide input on any topic that may concern them.
4. Distribute meeting minutes and the revised Action Log in a timely manner (within 24-48 hours).

Great vs good

There are many good leaders in the corporate world, but a great leader is one who is able to gather a team of people who are motivated self starters and consistently meets or exceeds corporate expectations. A great team will be work together, complimenting one another’s strengths and weaknesses. A great leader involves the whole team in decision making, assigns work and holds the team accountable to get it done. Your ability to keep the team focused on priorities that are best for the goals of the organization will enable you to have a team, and a company, that succeeds.