Leadership: Get Team To Solve Problems

4/10/2013 10:17:00 PM
HEADLINES
Leadership: Get Team To Solve Problems

The best leaders talk less and ask more questions in order to delegate, Vicki Merrill told the Pacific-West Fastener Association.
For example, when team members approach with problems they should be handling, ask them to describe the problem in one sentence and then have them offer two one-sentence solutions.

“They will soon catch on that they can solve such problems and quit coming to you,” Merrill told the Pac-West spring conference in Long Beach, CA.

“Your job is to create heroes,” Merrill of dsamih Consulting LLC said. “Along the way be a teacher, listener, coach and challenger.”

Communication is the greatest factor in promotability.

In order to delegate, leaders first must “let go with peace of mind.” Other steps include taking risks on team members, providing context to them, requesting replays from them, setting deadlines and naming one accountable party.

“Over protection and sabotage makes you a rescuer rather than a leader,” Merrill warned.

Healthy debate requires “absolute trust” and even “the ugly truth.” But healthy debate should present solutions.  “State your most compelling case.”

“You have to manage the message,” she counseled.

• “Error on the side of telling them too much,” Merrill suggested. Though there is a difference between managers and team members and a point of crossing the line, she added.

If you could get all the people in an organization rowing in the same direction, you could dominate any industry, any market, against any competitor, any time.

• On managing your own time, track how you spend your day. “Would you pay at your salary rate for what you are currently doing?”

“Ask yourself if what you are doing right now is contributing to your success.  “If not, why not?”

“Get brutal with your ‘To Do’ list. Watch for what is fun on the list vs. what works.”

• Ask yourself after every interchange with your team: Do they feel stronger or weaker?

• Send a weekly Friday email with 9 bullet points.  Five will be successes of the week and the rest challenges and priorities for the next week.

“It is never too late to become the leader you were meant to be,” Merrill said. Web: pac-west.org ©2013 GlobalFastenerNews.com