Strong teams enable leaders to expand their circle of competence. Hence, impactful leaders build impactful teams.
Circle of Competence
Impactful leaders intentionally and thoughtfully expand their circle of competence by building impactful teams.
Actually, the foundation for expanding competence is a growth mindset by the leader because they don’t view organizational advancement as a zero-sum game.
A growth mindset lets a leader be intentional about: professional development, accepting correction, changed thinking, and building insights.
Moreover, effective leaders draw insights from members of the leadership team. In so doing, they enable the team to accomplish the organization’s strategy.
As such, they’re not intimidated by the expertise and creativity of team members. Instead, impactful leaders make best use of those distinctive competencies.
Impactful leaders strive for completion of team objectives rather than competition between team members!
So, what are the outcomes from an impactful team? For the leader there’s deep satisfaction in having a personal impact.
And, for leadership team members there’s personal and professional growth.
Ultimately, impactful teams are a component of impactful organizations!
A leader who sows respect for the distinctive competencies of team members reaps dramatic growth in organizational impact!
Impactful Teams
Unsurprisingly, the Proverbs discuss the value added when impactful leaders build impactful teams.
For example, impactful leaders:
1). Are wise and discerning. They intentionally expand their circle of competence, Proverbs 1.5. See also, Proverbs 13.20.
To be wise associate with the wise! Conversely, to be broken associate with the foolishly overconfident. Proverbs 13.20 paraphrase
2). Know that impartial advice comes from deep within team members, Proverbs 27.9. Thus, where to find.
3). Have the experience to pull deep insights from team members, Proverbs 20.5. Thus, how to access.
4). Understand that multiple ideas improve the quality of decisions from the team, Proverbs 11.14. See also, Proverbs 15.22 and Proverbs 24.6.
Performance improves when a leader listens to multiple opinions! Proverbs 11.14 paraphrase
5). Recognize the importance of being mentored throughout their career, Proverbs 27.17, often from team members.
A sharp demeanor is evidence of the self-confidence that come through mentoring! Proverbs 27.17 paraphrase
6). Are keenly aware of the need for the “threefold cord” of spiritual insight to augment the insights of the leader and the leadership team members, Ecclesiastes 4.9-12.
Wherefore, impactful leaders build impactful teams!
Leadership Insight
In fundraising there’s a commonly used saying: “It’s not about me.” In short, that means engagement with a donor isn’t based on the needs of the fund raiser.
Instead, it’s based on the interests of the donor.
Likewise, impactful leadership isn’t about the leader.
Instead, it’s about accomplishing organizational strategy.
Moreover, impactful leadership is about reaching goals in a way that’s beneficial to all stakeholders.
Thus, growth that burns-out team members isn’t sustainable.
In like manner, sales of products that return only marginal value to customers will not garner significant market share.
Personal Insight
Early in my career as a major account representative I was at a national sales meeting. During one session, the corporate vice president of sales came in for what the sales team expected to be a pep talk.
Instead, the VP was over-the-top aggressive and demeaning to the sales force. As a result, what he got back was blank stares from the group.
For him, it was only about making numbers. And, about growing annual sales.
Conversely, it wasn’t at all about focusing products on specific markets. Or, about not releasing products before they were ready for distribution.
Thus, his narrow-minded fixation on a single metric overlooked serious problems with product quality and competitiveness. As a result, the team in the field struggled.
Also, as you would expect, there was high turnover.
And, there was lot’s of frustration. For example, think senior, high-producing sales rep yelling at the district manager about problems with commission being short-paid!
So, don’t be that leader!
Instead, listen to and learn from your team.
Otherwise, you’ll be one more blip on the screen of short-timers who come and go in an organization but have no lasting impact.
So, don’t be that leader!
Remember, impactful leaders build impactful teams.
In turn, those impactful teams build impactful and sustainable organizations. Then, the organization is positioned to benefit all its stakeholders.
To me, that’s the essence of impactful leadership.
Thanks for visiting. If you have any questions or comments, please contact me: larrydaleyoung@gmail.com
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