Goals. Deadlines. Optics. Meetings. Projects. These put teams under pressure and with pressure comes mistakes. People overwhelmed with daily tasks may feel they don't have enough help or support. The pressure of getting things done on time, or at the request of clients or vendors increases pressure to perform. That pressure expedites the time it takes to complete a project which may lead to oversight of details.
Managers also under pressure by senior leadership are placed under pressure to get their teams motivated. This leads to critical oversights because no one wants to feel they can't do their assignment. Managers must be reminded of how they grew to a leadership position and be sure to give their people room to grow. Growing as a professional involves three important steps:
Learning and understanding the assignment.
Developing working relationships with your team and peers.
Prioritizing tasks and knowing when to delegate.
During the growth process, these steps will often be out of order while team members are working to establish a consistent work flow. If deadlines are critical to reach sales goals, everything will be important to those goals. Resources will be re-aligned and adjusted. Budgets will be cut. Positions will be eliminated. However, there must still be an allowance of time for a learning curve so team members can grasp the assignment and grow into the culture of the organization. This requires deliberate communication of the organization mission and the values which anchor that mission.
Once team members are given room to grow, they will easily adapt to the mission, communicate and support it, and have more respect for the leadership of the team. Giving people room to grow also allows personal and professional maturity. It strengthens the core of the team and lessens the chances they will leave the company for greener pastures. Great leaders are balanced in their approach to setting goals and get their team to accomplish tasks. They demonstrate my three T's of balanced leadership; knowing when to be tender, tough, and triumphant.
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