Leading by Empowerment: Measuring Success Through Team Triumph

As someone who's had the privilege of witnessing the growth and achievements of a remarkable team at Sandringham, I firmly believe that true success is not merely reflected in figures, but in the resounding success of the individuals who comprise the team. Yes, it’s satisfying to hit targets or deliver high profile projects but those are just short term ‘highs’. I get more satisfaction knowing there’s longer-term benefits for both the business and individuals in having successful teams.

However, as we know, in today's rapidly evolving landscape, we face unique challenges when it comes to our teams and wider businesses. Hybrid and remote working models have reshaped the way teams function. The traditional methods of team building - face-to-face interactions, meerkat moments, good old chatting and debate - have been replaced by Teams meetings and messages that we can respond to at our own pace. I wonder how many good ideas have been lost because people can’t get a word in edgeways on a Teams call. While these changes offer flexibility, they pose significant hurdles. Building trust, fostering empathy, and instilling a sense of shared purpose within remote or hybrid teams now requires more deliberate effort and innovative strategies. We're clearly seeing organisations struggle with this challenge as the debate around remote working continues, but that's a whole other discussion.

When I think about leading there are a number of fundamental foundational aspects I believe in. Things simply and transformative but also highly destructive if missing.

Finding the secret sauce

Creating a successful team is like crafting a masterpiece or creating the perfect recipe. It begins with identifying and nurturing raw talent—those individuals brimming with potential, enthusiasm, a drive for knowledge and importantly fit your culture. At Sandringham we were lucky to have great colleges and universities right on our doorstep that provided a fantastic recruitment pool for us over the years. We’ve created a mostly(!) young, diverse, high performing workforce which I’m very proud to have as part of my legacy at Sandringham.

Currently, many older generations tend to hold unfavourable views of Gen Z. Expressions like 'a sense of entitlement,' 'lack motivation’, and 'don’t know what hard work is' are frequently hurdled in their direction. I admit, I may have used these phrases myself. But some of the brightest stars within our business joined us straight out of school, their youthful energy (remember that thing…) fuelling our collective growth. We should remember just because we're older doesn’t always mean we're wiser!

“Each generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before and wiser than the one that comes after” – George Orwell

However, potential alone is not enough. Successful teams need a combination of factors. Anyone who like me has spent many years playing Football Manager will know having a team full of wonderkids doesn’t always mean having a successful team (if you know, you know).

It takes forward-thinking leadership to build an environment that nurtures open dialogue, continual learning, and collaboration. A successful team thrives through clear communication, mutual respect, and a shared sense of purpose - The WHY. The right foundation allows team members to combine their knowledge and strengths, harmonise their efforts, and achieve great things together.

Doing the right thing

Trust is the lifeblood of any successful team. Anyone who’s attended a management course will have undoubtably seen the Lencioni model. Trust is build on honesty. Honesty is a value I hold dear. Honesty is not merely a virtue; it's an imperative. A lack of honesty erodes trust and will corrode any team cohesion. Without trust, team members hesitate to share ideas, voice concerns, or challenge the norm. The absence of trust creates a toxic atmosphere where progress stagnates, innovation stalls, or disappears altogether, and talented individuals seek greener pastures. Now I know I’m stating the obvious here. This is why trust is the foundation of the Lencioni pyramid, but I do still think it's overlooked in many organisations and can be very difficult to build and maintain in our new remote/hybrid working environments. Over my career when I’ve talked to people about why they moved roles, the reasons given vary but they very often boil down to a fundamental loss of trust, be that in the team, manager, or business leaders.

"Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things." - Peter Drucker

We’re all human after all

I believe empathy and humility go hand in hand if you want to be a leader – and remember as Simon Sinek tells us, leading and being a leader are 2 different things.

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings and perspectives of another person and is another bedrock upon which team dynamics are built. Both as team members and leaders we need to understand what makes the people around us tick. Not just understanding their emotions but why they are who they are. That’s why I’m a big believer in personality testing. Empathy builds meaningful relationships, fosters understanding within a team, and helps people demonstrate compassion toward others. We can be much more forgiving and understanding when we put ourselves in someone else’ shoes.

A leader lacking in empathy disregards the individual experiences, aspirations, and struggles of team members. This indifference stifles creativity, after all you’re not playing to your team’s strengths. It damages morale, we all want leaders who understand who we are and what we are going through, and worst of all it fuels a sense of isolation among team members.

Likewise, humility serves as a connection between a leader and the team. When it's lacking, a divide emerges, as leaders who prioritise themselves and their own ego over the team just end up create conflicts. Humility involves recognising one's limitations, imperfections, and being respectful of those around you and grateful for the contribution others make to your success. After all any success isn't achieved on your own.

Without humility and empathy, leaders become disconnected from the day-to-day realities of their team, causing frustration and disillusionment. Again, stifling open conversation, undermining creativity, and potentially leading to a culture where mediocrity is accepted, and innovation is suppressed.

"The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority." - Ken Blanchard

That old chestnut

Integrity. Ask anyone what their values are and you’re likely to hear the word integrity. But integrity is just a noun, what does it mean in practice? For me it means doing the right things for the right reasons and is the cornerstone of a leader's character.

Without it, leaders make decisions driven by personal gain rather than the well-being of the team. When integrity is compromised, often ethics erode, and the morality of right and wrong gets lost. This moral vacuum manifests in inconsistent decisions, favouritism, and a disregard for the long-term impact on the team and the organisation. We’ve seen high profile examples of this in the past, such as the fall of Lehman Brothers, but it happens across every business of every scale.

So whilst integrity appears to many like a buzzword, it is one whose absence is likely to have the greatest impact on a team and organisation. ?

Happy workforce = Happy clients (= Happy shareholders)

Building successful teams is critical to the success of any business. As Sir Richard Branson said, “A company's employees are its greatest asset and your people are your product” and “The way you treat your employees is the way they will treat your customers”.

Over my career I’ve had the privilege to work in some fantastic businesses led by empowering leaders and powered by phenomenal teams of people. I’ve also worked in some real dumpster fires of businesses! What it’s taught me is that leadership isn't just a job title; it's a significant responsibility to support and enable others. We achieve success by focusing on our team's accomplishments, building trust, practicing empathy and humility, and maintaining strong integrity. On the other hand, lacking these qualities leads to a team marked by distrust, division, and disappointment.

My suggestion is that we lead with a clear purpose and leave a legacy based on the outstanding success of our team members.

"It is only as we develop others that we permanently succeed." - Harvey S. Firestone

And remember…

"You don't lead by hitting people over the head - that's assault, not leadership." - Dwight D. Eisenhower