No one person can do great things on their own. Evolution has favoured creatures that can effectively collaborate. So it is in business: learning how to unlock the full potential of one’s team is one of the five key transitions that leaders must make. However, there is a lot of misunderstanding about what this really means. People here talk about leadership from the inside out, heart-based leadership, true leadership, and leading without a title, among other things. These are all excellent ideas, but the truth is that leadership is a process, not a style or a philosophy.
You must ensure that the correct building blocks are in place as you work toward unleashing your teams. And this necessitates a shift in your personal style. Eric Fleming devised the following model that explains this. Eric is a psychologist and a terrific organisational development specialist, and companies put his concept to the test in a variety of organisations together. It performs admirably and has received high praise from executives and teams all over the world. He’s working on a book about it, so keep an eye out for that.
In order to be properly unleashed, teams must go through the following five stages:
Establish and define at the first level. Make sure everyone on your team understands their jobs and duties. You’re not even at base camp if they (or you) don’t know who’s responsible for what and what needs to be done. Get there quickly! Be straightforward. Clear?
Activate and synchronise at level two. Is your team on board with your vision and is everyone on the same page with your company’s objectives? Are they truly committed to assisting you in achieving your goals? Ask better questions and coach them so you know they’ve grasped the concept. This is only the second stage of the process. If you’ve made it this far, keep going.
Enable and equip at level three. Develop your knowledge, talents, and resourcefulness. Attract and invest in exceptional people with the best abilities and talent once they’ve accepted to work with you. Be a fantastic role model for them. Remember that providing employees with the best opportunity of long-term professional success will provide you with the best chance of long-term business success.
Empowerment is the fourth level. Make people responsible for their actions. You must trust others if you wish to attain results above your existing capabilities. Give your team members
accountability and responsibility for sorting things out and getting things done. Make sure they (and you) continue to learn and grow. Better never comes to an end.
Extend and unleash at level 5. You may now encourage your team to break new ground. You may now deliver challenge and pressure where it’s needed the most. You may now generate exceptional results and satisfy your customers. You may now cultivate a following of raving fans who will patronise your business on a regular basis and recommend your products or services to others.