TRUST THE TEAM! – Why Leadership should let go

A leader isn’t much without a team of people who make a difference. That's why good leaders are all about enabling and facilitating collaboration, helping individuals develop and improve, and achieving the best results together. No one in the team should just do their job, they should also be fulfilled by what they do. That's what my experience of more than 20 years of leadership at BCG has taught me:

Let others take center stage. Let your people take ownership. Give them space, spread fun and a can-do-mentality. People are only as good as you let them be. Everyone is an expert in something and will grow if they have the room and freedom to decide. In this way, everyone contributes their best. My job as a leader is to bring the right people together, create the best possible environment for them, support them, and help them when needed.

Imagine the perfect performance. Playing piano has been one of my passions for many years. I believe that leading is a lot like music. Before you start playing a piece, you think in colors, moods and images. Then when you play, what you play sounds like what you imagined. And when you play in orchestration with others, the imagination becomes a strong inspiration for all.

Energize with a positive spirit. The best leaders are recognized by their energy. The more positive the energy, the better. These leaders know that the source of inspiration is to aim high together. “Not possible” is rarely accepted.

Strive for clarity. I take great pleasure in clarity: Where are we? Where do we want to go? Where do we need to go? It's like hiking through a fog that clears a little more with each step until the view is crystal clear. In the beginning, you stand in front of a tree and can't place it. Then you climb to the top and suddenly see how everything is connected – and then you know: this is the product of great work.

Stay constantly in contact. On the way to the summit, it's important to communicate. Coordinate and connect over and over again, even if it's just for a two-minute call. Your people have to realize that you are sincere when you say it is about them personally. Only by being constantly connected, can everyone unlock their full potential and unleash their full power on the journey!

The next generation of leaders speaks to the heart, head and hands, and enables the team to have purpose, freedom and fun. This generates both growth and fulfillment at the same time. This is not just my personal experience, it’s also the result of the study Tomorrow’s Leaders.

To know more discover our report, Human-centered leaders are the future of leadership, based on a quantitative survey conducted across four countries (UK, Germany, France, Spain) and complemented by insights from leadership experts.

By Hubi Meinecke, Senior Partner and Regional Chairman, BCG