Tips for the Team
I'll admit, I'm a HUGE football fan. I follow the National Football League, college football, and even high school. I learned a lot of life lessons from my coaches while I played in high school and continue to learn many things from the game that can be applied across disciplines.
I recently read an article (full text here) by Sport's Illustrated's Albert Breer, in which he was interviewing John Dorsey, the GM of the Cleveland Browns. Dorsey has twice had the first pick in the NFL draft, so he was giving advice for the team with the #1 pick, which this year happened to be the Arizona Cardinals. As I read the main points of the article, I realized that they are equally strong points for leading any team. Launching from the article's title, and extrapolating from his points, I give you, "Tips for the Team."
Tip #1: Loose Lips Sink Ships
Dorsey was asked why he was so secretive leading up to the draft, and part of his answer was, "Why show my cards?" Teams need to be able to function with reciprocated trust. Know your team. Trust your team. Develop your team. Listen for echoes. If the information shared within meetings is coming back around to you from sources that should have no knowledge of the content, you have a leak. Dorsey advises the leader to not even show all of his cards to the team, "especially when there might be something to learn from keeping it quiet, like …"
Tip #2: Finding Out about Your Staff
Everyone has an opinion about everything. Sometimes by remaining silent, the leader can find out which people on the team have strong enough convictions to voice them. Strong leaders want their team members to have strong opinions. Weak leaders want their team members to agree with them and fall in line. If you make a habit of shutting down your employee's when they voice their opinion, you'll find yourself surrounded by people with nothing to say (paraphrase from a recent meme). I want a team with strong convictions. We don't have to always agree, nor like the final decision, but all that tenacity working toward a common goal is powerful.
Tip #3: Conviction is the Key Word
If conviction is needed on the part of team members, it is essential for the leader. I must have enough conviction to eventually make a decision, no matter what the team thinks. Consensus and collaboration play a huge part in this process, but so does trust. The Browns were locked in last season on their #1 pick in October, according to Dorsey. He knew if Baker Mayfield, the Heisman-winning quarterback from The University of Oklahoma, was available, the Browns would pick him. This was not a consensus pick by experts. Many scoffed and mocked the Browns for the pick. No one is laughing now, after Mayfield finished the season as the runner up to the Offensive Rookie of the Year (I am of the opinion that he should have won). Once a decision has been made, it is up to the leader to also show conviction and convince the room.
Tip #4: Not Just What but Why
This is where the leader becomes a student. It's important to know what your team thinks, but it is equally important to know why they think that. Dorsey says this is when you really get to know your team. Digging into the why behind conviction can help you, as a leader, gain deeper insight into your team. Especially when the decision went another way, understanding the dissenting why communicates value to that person and keeps them engaged with the team. Hopefully, it also keeps them expressing their convictions. I've never viewed the people on my team as easily interchangeable parts, so keeping us functioning in synchrony is important to me.
The Wrap Up
Study your team as much as you study your craft. Know their strengths and weaknesses and use both for the benefit of your organization. Keep looking for ways to collectively sharpen your skills as a team. You never know when a random news article will give you something to chew on for a while.