The One Skill All Leaders Must Master
There’s one capability all leaders must master. It’s a skill that enable leaders to inspire and empower their teams. That skill is developed as leaders focus on their employees. Sadly, many leaders only focus on results rather than their people. The one capability all leaders must master is the art of helping others function at their full potential.
When individuals operate at their full capabilities, it benefits the individual and contributes to the organization’s success.
A physical trainer, Trevor, came to my house and got excited when he saw my weight machine. It was not long before Trevor got on it and masterfully executed exercises of which I did not know the machine was capable. He showed me how to take advantage of my machine’s full potential.
That situation caused me to reflect on an important question. How masterful are we at enabling our teams to perform to their full potential? This applies whether your team is on a playing field, in a classroom, or in a boardroom.
Since you are reading this article, I feel confident you are striving to be the most effective leader you can be, and most likely can rattle off benefits of your teams working at their full capabilities. Below are just a few that immediately come to my mind.
Benefits When Your Teams Are at Their Full Potential
When individuals perform at their potential, the organization benefits in numerous ways.
- Increased productivity and efficiency. They will work smarter and faster with less resources.
- Increased creativity. They will have fresh ideas and find innovative solutions to challenging problems.
- Increased agility. They can adapt and are better equipped to handle changing circumstances. This is crucial in today’s dynamic work environment.
- Increased engagement and motivation. This translates to a positive work culture, higher job satisfaction, and lower turnover rates.
What other benefits come to your mind from your teams working at their best?
“Take care of your employees, and they will take care of your results.”
– Kennedy Germain
Steps To Get Your Teams To Their Full Potential
How does a leader master the art of getting their team to perform at their full potential?
- Provide clear and achievable goals. This motivates the team and gives them a sense of purpose and direction. It’s easier for folks to work to their potential when they know what’s expected of them.
- Encourage open communication where different perspectives are respected and valued. Team members will feel more comfortable expressing ideas. On the other hand, creativity is stifled where there is no diversity of thoughts and approaches.
- Foster a learning bias. The job of a leader is to develop the future leaders. Take time to invest in the development of your team through training, coaching, and role-modeling. Individuals are more likely to strive for excellence and contribute their best efforts when they know their growth and development are supported.
- Provide strategic feedback. It’s essential to regularly provide both recognition and constructive feedback to your team. Recognition boosts confidence while constructive feedback motivates them to make adjustments where needed to increase their capability.
- Build a supportive and inclusive environment where individuals can bring their authentic selves to work. Strong teams work like a family and support each other. They build on each other’s ideas and cheer each other on.
- Encourage a healthy work-life balance. This looks different for everyone. However, encourage taking breaks, prioritizing self-care, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. This is crucial because individuals in this environment know they have time for personal interests and are more likely to bring their best selves to work.
Masterful leaders play a pivotal role in helping their teams operate at their full potential. This can be done by providing clear goals, fostering a supportive and healthy work environment that includes open communication and a good work-life balance, and encouraging a bias for learning and development. In that way, the company will get the maximum return from their most important assets, which are their employees.
Empowered Leader Reflection
How would you rate your mastery of helping your team operate at their full potential?
- Rating of 10: It’s my top priority
- Rating of 5: I know it’s important but don’t spend enough time on it
- Rating 0: I have not done that before.
I would love to hear what resonated with you. Go ahead. Leave a comment below.
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