Below is an excerpt from my new coaching and peer mastermind modules, The 24/7 Leader: Transforming Personal & Professional Life:
Inspiring leaders find a way to call out the best in others.
They do that by recognizing people don’t always know what they do well. So, leaders hunt for the spark inside others by noticing where they excel and then they affirm what they see.
Make it a habit to notice what people around you do well and compliment them:
- “You did an excellent job assisting that customer. Your attitude showed you were interested and your ability to deeply listen enabled you to help them get unstuck and moving forward toward a solution.”
- “I’m impressed by the way you organized the project details in that spreadsheet. You helped us create a context that explains why this project is so important.”
- “The presentation slides looked great after you formatted them. You have an eye for design and know how to graphically display information to make a point clearly.”
Leaders also look to maximize the potential on their teams by connecting people to projects that draw on their natural talents.
Help your team members understand their talents and provide opportunities to build on them:
- “You’re obviously good with people. You listen well and you’re willing to speak up when you see a way to make things better. Would you like to explore how you could use those abilities as part of the sales team here?”
- “You write excellent emails that make complex topics understandable. Would you like to try your hand at writing blog posts?”
- “Your data analysis blew my socks off it was so helpful. Would you be interested in taking on a market analysis project to expand your abilities?”
Inspiring leaders know that when they help others discover what they’re good at, their team members tap into a well of positive emotion.
They enjoy work that draws on their natural strengths; they feel excited about having an impact; they love feeling successful, valued, and cared for. All these positive emotions establish and strengthen a powerful bond of trust, respect, and loyalty.
Your Leadership Coaching Challenge:
Inspiring leaders explore and develop their strengths. Then they help team members find and grow their own. Reflect on your natural talents: what do you do well? What capacities do you want to expand? Who could you affirm on your team to inspire them to grow?
If you would like to take this deeper, join "The 24/7 Leader" coaching process and peer mastermind. To enroll, please contact us. For more support in your team's development, let's talk: 888-959-1188.