A hugely common mistake that I see over and over again amongst the leaders that occupy the 97% circle of mediocrity, is Not Spending Enough Time With Their Team!
I know your day is busy. Crazy busy in fact! You have pressures from your boss to get this and that done… And you may be thinking, “Ok Bob, I know how important my team is, but exactly how am I supposed to get all my work done, make a dent in my email, attend all those meetings as well as spend more time with my team?!”
My answer is always the same… “The best leaders in the world find time.” And, these are not leaders with multiple Personal Assistants attending only to their every needs… They are quite simply people that get how important it is.
One of my favorite things to do as a leader is walk around and spend time with my team. It is amazing what you can do by connecting one-on-one with your team members. You get to know them better: what strengths they have, what challenges they are facing, what stupid processes drive them nuts, what ideas they have for saving time, money and serving customers better, how deeply they do or don’t understand your strategies… the list could go on forever!
I have had, at times, teams that numbered in the thousands and I still made sure to make time to connect with each and everyone of them.
You could be thinking… what does your team get from you being with them? Well let me tell you! They get: a feeling that you care and want to help them, engagement, communication, energy, belief, focus… By you taking the time to personally connect with them, it gives their job more meaning. It makes them feel appreciated and respected.
This, in turn, yields: trust, respect, integrity, understanding, and results from all of your employees.
It is a win-win-win!
So, how do you make this part of your everyday practice? Simple! Schedule it into your calendar like you would a meeting. And… DO NOT miss this appointment! Ever! It will become a habit. You will become better and better at connecting with your team. You will be on your way to the 3% circle of great leaders!
