Mar 17, 2017
The better we become at problem solving, the more likely we will find The right decision with imperfect information and still get desired results. Ambiguity is part of being a leader and how we watch for, communicate and work with unknown unexpected and difficult situations. When it comes to relevance, our actions matter more than our accomplishments because people look to leaders (and decide to trust them, or not) based on the way a leader shows up. A shared meaning of what contribution looks like, what the big team goal is, and how the team interacts with each other are elements of high performing teams. Jessica Dewell hosts Shane Sturgeon, Jason Michael, and Andrew Jenkins to discuss what it means to remain relevant.
Starting
the conversation…
- What are 2-3 things you do as a leader to remain relevant to your team?
- Relevance and disruption.
- Relevance and connection.
Host: Jessica Dewell Panel: Shane Sturgeon, Jason Michael, and Andrew Jenkins
What You Will Hear:
4 ways for leaders to make sure we keep the mission of the company center to our interactions (with our role and developing our people). 3 areas that build on each other for the work we do ourselves to improve as leaders, and as good human beings. The power of big goals and how they bring people together. Everything we talk about are skills - and the more we do them, the better our skills get. No matter how good we are, we still will have awkward conversations. There is an element of revolution necessary (actively say what works and what doesn’t) to remain relevant. What contributing members do on your team, what does contribution look like? Mindset, supporting each other at work (and life)…there is one person, the leader, that is the role model. Communicating the goal - why is every person there, and how they contribute. When culture speaks louder than values. Process and problem solving is inherent to leaders that get results, create cohesive culture, and people follow. Tips for transparency in communication to build trust and what/how we communicate our (and our teams) relevance is changing. When mistakes are made, and no basis for FAILURE, it can be taken personally. What’s the worst thing that could happen to me now? What resilience looks like - from personal stories. The importance of being neutral, even detachment. How to be neutral to see all sides. The fly on the wall.
Notable & Quotable:
Shane Sturgeon: You might find you see you may not be relevant in the future. Jason Michael: Being neutral allows us to step into the shoes of another and see where they are coming from. Andrew Jenkins: Teams need big goals, and take time to build people’s knowledge and wisdom. Andrew Jenkins: Foxes and dolphins are two animals that have business traits we can identify and understand in our teams. Jessica Dewell: You write your own ending. Jessica Dewell: Revolution is necessary. Where are we going, and when will we change? Jason Michael: Contribution is whatever value you give your team, you get back. Shane Sturgeon: Roles didn’t matter too much - everyone was contributing beyond what their roles would be and they did it happily. Andrew Jenkins: High performing teams have growth values - a desire to make a difference. Jessica Dewell: When I’m doing my job right, clients don’t need me anymore. Andrew Jenkins: The hows always follow whats. It starts with the big goal. Shane Sturgeon: When the right questions are asked along the way, the right outcome will materialize. Jason Michael: Skill sets are necessary (including technology) to do the job AND give a foundation to anticipate Shane Sturgeon: Disconnect from the changes that happen because it will happen - support people through difficult change. Andrew Jenkins: There are things we have that no one can take away from us. That is our authenticity - that is who we are. Jason Michael: The more failures we have the better we understand how we are really affected, and we take it less personally. Jessica Dewell: When what I thought is not the same as what I see and hear … it’s up to me to close the gap between the two, and bounce back. Shane Sturgeon: Being neutral, seeing both sides, is easier to say than to do. Jason Michael: I like the visualization of being a fly on the wall and seeing everything that is going on. Andrew Jenkins: One of my mentors told me: I don’t go into meetings prepared, I know my ability to problem solve and I know that we as a team will resolve it. I don’t come with the answer - we will get the answer together.
Resources:
- PDXConsulting
Leadership Qualities
- Simon Sinek, Start With Why:
- Jim Collins, Good to Great: First who then what.
- Secret to Bounce Back
- Sonder: The Realization That Everyone Has A Story
Tags: relevance, leadership, leader, collaboration, reading, soft skills, emotional intelligence, revolution, contribution, willingness, performance, high performance, efficiency, process, disruption, problem solving, skills, skill sets, confidence, knowing, mind set, resilience, resourcefulness, neutrality