How do you tap into your team's potential?

Start with a shared understanding of what is important to someone. What are their personal & professional goals? What motivates them & demotivates them? We all have a natural tendency to perform at a higher level when our work is meaningful to us. Successfully match people with work that aligns to their values and has a clear connection to their goals first before seeking to understand their strengths and weaknesses. Strength and weakness analysis should come after this to help structure ongoing coaching & mentorship in an area they are set up to succeed in.

Utilizing the team's skillsets the right way is the most underrated way to grow the organization and also helps in the professional growth of the team.

Team. There is always more than meets the eye here. Each team member works differently. What works for some may be a disturbance for someone else. For cohesion to naturally flow in a team, you need to get down to personal levels to get to know them. Compassion and Camaraderie are two catalysts that always boost team performance. Team members express more and can work more naturally when they feel valued, respected, and comfortable. One way could be for everyone to take the 16personalities test and share the results (restricted) within to know what goes behind the other's mind. This way, we could get to know our team members rather than bat an eye at Team Spirit and its wonders for a successful business.

I can't echo this enough! As a leader you HAVE to know how to "use" your team. This requires knowing your people very well - good days, bad days, just ok days, etc... In transformational leadership theory, one of the tenets of leadership is individual consideration. If you want to change your organization for the better, you have to start with transforming your people toward that end state.

Depending what tools your company have access to, but in my experience knowing your team's strengths and weaknesses is crucial to a success of a project. Personality tests such as DISC have been useful. Having your team member write a one-pager ppt where they access their own strengths, weaknesses, expectation, personal preferences (and even sometimes family situation) have been a exercise used to understand the team members, but also giving them a chance to express their thinking/situation. If you have the ability to choose team members whom are complimentary to each other is even better. If not, understand them is important as we are just humans with strengths, but also weaknesses that can be improved if known and given a chance.

Challenging your team with stretch goals stimulates growth beyond their comfort zones and existing competencies. I believe that such ambitious, measurable goals inspire smarter, more collaborative work, as team members realize the necessity of mutual support. Importantly, this strategy is most effective when the vision, expectations, and benefits of these goals are clearly communicated, coupled with regular feedback and recognition.

Challenging your team with stretch goals is a potent strategy for unlocking their potential. These goals, while ambitious, specific, and measurable, motivate your team to expand their skills, knowledge, and creativity. They promote increased effort, smarter work, and enhanced collaboration, as team members recognize the need for mutual support and input. To set effective stretch goals, communicate their vision, purpose, and benefits clearly, establish expectations and guidelines, and offer regular feedback and recognition. This approach encourages your team to reach new heights and fosters continuous improvement.

Stretch goals are not merely targets; they are invitations to greatness. By pushing beyond comfort zones, they spark innovation, collaboration, and growth. Communication is key: sharing the vision and purpose turns a challenge into a shared mission. Providing clear guidelines and constant feedback transforms ambition into actionable pathways. And recognizing achievements, no matter how small, fuels momentum. Stretch goals are about more than reaching higher; they're about growing together, uncovering hidden talents, and forging a team that's resilient, creative, and united in purpose.

As a leader, my commitment to continuous learning and growth is deeply rooted in my experiences as an educator. Drawing from my foundation in education, I foster a learning culture within my team, encouraging them to embrace new challenges. Recognizing the importance of ongoing improvement, I provide diverse opportunities for training, coaching, and mentorship, just as I did for my students in the classroom. I actively encourage knowledge-sharing and a collaborative spirit, enabling each team member to contribute their unique perspectives and expertise. Emphasizing the growth mindset, I inspire my team to persist through setbacks, treat mistakes as learning opportunities, and continually enhance their abilities.

A great way for leaders to accelerate learning and growth is through curiosity: embracing it personally, and modeling it for their teams. It's easy for leaders to charge at problems armed with all the answers because that’s what we’re supposed to do. Except that expertise and experience in the absence of curiosity can lead you to the wrong solutions, which is not a behavior you want your teams to emulate! Teaching your teams to develop smart questions, not just smart answers, can unlock true growth and learning.

Often times it is not necessarily about encouraging the team to learn and grow continuously. From my experience, most people do want to learn and grow, however, the key is to align the growth not just to the strength of the team member but also their personal and professional interest. It is about helping them build confidence and identify areas where they may be currently slightly uncomfortable in but where growth would have a significant impact to their personal and professional lives. Today, many companies have continuous education requirements, if handled poorly this can turn into a check the box exercise or drive the team to certain perceived desirable certificates while neglecting the real learning and development.

Promoting a culture of continuous learning and growth is pivotal in harnessing your team's potential. Encourage them to adapt to evolving scenarios, acquire new skills, and tackle challenges. Provide ample learning opportunities like training, coaching, mentoring, or online courses. Encourage knowledge sharing and peer learning within the team. Emphasize the importance of seeking feedback and learning from mistakes. Cultivating a growth mindset, wherein team members believe they can enhance their abilities through effort and persistence, empowers your team to reach new heights and excel in a dynamic environment.

Encouraging continuous learning and growth is about nurturing a culture where curiosity thrives and potential unfolds. It's more than offering training or courses; it's about instilling a growth mindset where challenges are embraced as opportunities. Mentoring, sharing knowledge, and learning from mistakes become integral parts of a journey towards excellence. Fostering this environment doesn't just build skills; it ignites passion, resilience, and adaptability. It's about creating a team that doesn't just adapt to change but leads it, always pushing boundaries, always growing, not just as professionals but as thinkers, innovators, and leaders.

Managers answer questions, leaders question answers. Allow your team to solve problems, and expect them to lead their own 1:1’s with you to gain the guidance & support they need to make sound decisions and take calculated risks.

Fostering an environment where your team has the authority to make decisions and take calculated risks is another key strategy for unlocking their full potential. Empowerment involves delegating responsibilities while maintaining clear boundaries and expectations. Trust your team's judgment and support them when they encounter difficulties or setbacks. This approach not only boosts their confidence, motivation, and sense of ownership but also ignites their creativity and willingness to innovate. By empowering your team, you cultivate a dynamic, self-driven group that is better equipped to excel and explore new opportunities.

Empowering your team to make decisions and take risks is about entrusting them with the reins of innovation. It's giving them the space to explore, fail, learn, and grow without the shadow of fear. Trust, clear boundaries, and unwavering support are the pillars of this empowerment. It's a transformative approach that shifts the team from mere executors to co-creators. Confidence blooms, motivation soars, and creativity flourishes when individuals feel ownership and agency in their work. Empowerment isn't relinquishing control; it's harnessing the collective wisdom, initiative, and innovation of a team united in purpose and passion.

One of the initial questions I pose during our first one-on-one with new team members is, 'How do you prefer to receive recognition?' Often, people don't have an immediate answer and require some time to reflect. With gentle guidance, we explore whether they appreciate private or public recognition, whether words of affirmation or tangible gifts resonate more with them, and whether they prefer group acknowledgments, individual recognition, or both. This helps us fine-tune our approach. I make it a point to take note of their preferences and ensure that we celebrate their achievements in a manner aligned with their wishes, rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all approach from either myself as a leader or the company.

Recognizing your team's successes reinforces their positive actions, boosts morale, and solidifies team cohesion. It communicates your appreciation for their efforts, demonstrates the value of their work, and acknowledges their impact. There are numerous ways to celebrate your team's achievements and contributions, including public praise, incentives, social events, or personalized notes. The key is to make these celebrations genuine, timely, and tailored to your team's preferences and needs. By doing so, you foster a culture of appreciation and motivation that fuels ongoing excellence.

Celebrating achievements is an affirmation of effort, collaboration, and resilience. It's not just about success but recognizing the journey that led there. Public praise, personalized notes, or social events serve as more than morale boosters; they build trust and connection within the team. Genuine, timely, and specific celebrations create a culture where every contribution is valued. It's about crafting a shared narrative of success that unifies and inspires, turning individual triumphs into collective pride and purpose, where everyone feels part of a winning team.

Have you ever been at a point where your team achieved something great, and you wanted to help them do even better? I’ve been there, and I’ve learned that it’s more than just saying “good job.” It’s about creating special celebrations that make everyone feel proud and motivated. For example, once our team tackled a tough project and instead of just saying thanks, we turned it into a fun “Success Adventure.” We mapped out our journey on a wall, like a treasure hunt, showing each step we took together. It was more than a pat on the back; it was a way to remind us of what we can do when we work as a team. These unique celebrations don’t just make us happy; they create a strong bond that powers us to achieve even greater things.

Potential, and how to connect it is my passion - no obsession :) I love all of the insights here and want to offer a few frameworks from my upcoming book to place them into. Connecting potential starts with a mindset shift from 'problem' to 'potential' - from what needs to be fixed to what wants to happen. The operating system essential to connecting it is us and our capacity to 'act, feel, and think'. And one simple yet power core practice connects it - Intend, Notice and Move. Finally, potential lives simultaneously in three dimensions of org performance - within us, between us, and around us. Because these dimensions are all connected when you influence any one of them you influence every one of them! Intrigued? Let's connect!

I'm obsessed with continuous learning. It fuels both personal and professional growth. Enabling my team to evolve and improve leads to more shared success. When hiring, I care about curiosity and hunger to grow, with the right level of tech skills. I make it a priority to understand the strengths, interests, and aspirations of my team. I look for opportunities that align with their abilities but push them outside their comfort zone. I'm willing to take a chance on raw, unproven talent. I've seen individuals thrive when placed in roles they never would have gotten through traditional hiring. For me, management is about nurturing growth. This helps our talented people reach their potential while expanding our collective capabilities.

It is important to be a thought partner rather than a micromanager. Leaders must be willing to listen to their team members and helps them brainstorm their own solutions rather than solving problems for them.

Take the time to establish team norms, utilizing a fully collaborative and employee-driven approach, then revisit these often. By supporting the team in identifying and developing norms, they are able to more fully understand the best ways to work together, communicate, and encourage each other; they can also hold each other accountable, all of which provides part of the important foundation of autonomy and empowerment.

In a world of ever-increasing complexity, leaders must go beyond traditional management approaches to truly unlock their team's potential. Implement "Learning Expeditions," which are week-long projects totally unrelated to the team's regular work but aligned with new industry trends. The team gets a budget and is encouraged to ideate, experiment, and often fail, but always learn. It's R&D for your team's skillset. Allow team members to take ownership of decisions at varying levels of complexity. You're not just empowering your team, you're creating an ecosystem of micro-leaders.