One of three sorts of leadership got your team to the end of 2020:
- No leadership. Team members have their psyche shaken: They lack clarity of direction and connection to purpose. The culture drifts. There are no steps to adapt and align to emerging needs, among other things. (In these cases, teammates are showing up for conference calls, but they’ve already started their holiday break. You can see it in their eyes.)
- Authority-centric leadership. Team members rely (wait) on the leader to make decisions. Most teammates are frazzled and feel disenfranchised because there isn’t enough of the boss to go around. (Team members are emotionally exhausted. Quick, pass the eggnog.)
- Team-centric leadership. (Power-hungry leaders don’t get this approach.) On these teams, the person with the greatest authority prioritizes every-day alignment, strengthening the collaborative culture, and empowering others to make decisions. These teams drive the right value faster and with greater agility. (Team members may be physically tired – but they’re emotionally energized. They own the results of 2020.)
Leadership matters. But it’s the team that delivers the plan. How did you get to the end of 2020? (And how does your answer influence your leadership plan for 2021?)
