How To Be Leader & Not a Jerk!

So you recently landed a promotion and now have a team to manage…now what?  It’s so easy to fall into the trap of micromanaging, especially if it’s your first time playing “follow the leader.” While playing “follow the leader” was great on the playground, it isn’t going to help at work.  The gift of leadership carries with it the responsibility of making sure your team thrives at work and beyond. These tips have helped me when entering new ventures.

Reflect on why you were hired in the first place. You made it clear to whomever hired you that you have some sort of vision for the company and you can accomplish it.  Tell your team about your mission. The company likely has its official mission, and yours should be the same but in your own words. Actually, do better than explaining your mission, get your team to understand the value of your vision.  How will it help them? Will it create a better customer experience? Will it provide intellectual growth? Will they make more money? Can you make a game of it?

Whatever it is, their understanding of the team mission will both bring everyone together and foster a culture where there is room for new ideas to expand on the mission more efficiently.

Look at it like pulling together a team of firefighters. Everyone can easily agree that if there is a fire, it needs to be extinguished. Leadership comes in when deciding how to put out the fire.  If everyone has their own bucket where they run for water, then run to throw it at the fire, your team will end up exhausted and burnt out. The fire will subside, then it will grow even bigger. When the team can put their heads together and work cohesively, a line from the water source to the fire can be made where everyone is simply passing buckets.  The fire will be extinguished more efficiently, and your team will still have energy to celebrate. All of this starts with the common thread of the entire team understanding the mission and the value of accomplishing the vision.

Your priority should be to establish your vision and the team mission early, then reinforce it often…if you wait for the fire, it will be too late!  Then, you will be a jerk.

Once this culture is established, the next steps will be much easier.  You will eventually have the ability to curate teams who will share the same culture, will also be excited to share in the vision, and that will push the business forward.

Got it?  Now, go do it!!