How To Scale Your Business by Leading People the Right Way
How To Scale Your Business by Leading People the Right Way
How does poor leadership impact team performance and business success?
Having experienced the effects of poor leadership firsthand, I've learned crucial lessons about the role of a good leader. Leaders driven solely by results at all costs can harm their teams. From my years of experience, I've come to understand that without a team that supports you and performs optimally, you're not only leaving money on the table but also valuable ideas. In trying to grow a business for the last decade, I've realized that hindering your team means hindering your success. You cannot achieve true success without a supportive team behind you.
What are the toughest parts of leading a team—and how do you handle them?
I firmly believe that leadership is anything but soft. Managing a team can be as challenging as parenting—my experiences with a seven-year-old and a six-year-old have shown me how tough it can be. Each individual's unique nature makes leading a team particularly complex. I always emphasize to other leaders that there's nothing gentle about genuine care; it involves the tough aspects of human interaction. We define care in leadership as the essential human skills needed to accomplish complex tasks, which include Clarity, Autonomy, Relationships, and Equity. These are the pillars of our book and platform, "Care to Win."
Success is unlikely unless your team supports you, which boils down to trust. Trust is the foundation for achieving remarkable outcomes in any personal or professional relationship. Without it, I consider the lack of trust to be the greatest unspoken expense on the profit and loss statement. Clarity, Autonomy, Relationships, and Equity are how I build trust as a leader. Understanding that every action or inaction contributes to building or eroding trust, there is no neutral ground. Every email sent and every conversation had or not had plays a role in this dynamic. Remembering the four dimensions of care can be seen as an essential survival tactic in leadership.
What are the key components of effective leadership in team management?
Engineers might appreciate the simplicity of this approach. Consider the linear effect of leadership components in managing a team. As an entrepreneur, I naturally prefer clarity because I can take a basic idea and run with it. However, my Chief Operating Officer (COO) requires much more detail; a single sentence that suffices for me might leave her confused. Therefore, I often need to provide her with a ten-page document to explain what I could summarize in a sentence.
I may be giving her more autonomy than she needs. She appreciates having some guidance, even in small matters like how she prefers things to be organized. The CARE equation in leadership starts with Clarity, which allows you to delegate appropriate Autonomy. Without Clarity, any attempt at granting Autonomy can lead to chaos and confusion. Clarity details what needs to be done, while Autonomy dictates how it's done. Relationships focus on who is involved, and Equity acts as the glue that holds everything together.
This relationship between these elements is linear: Clarity allows for Autonomy, which frees up time and energy to build Relationships. Strong Relationships enable Equitable treatment. Each component is crucial and interdependent, creating a foundational structure for effective leadership from the bottom up or top down.
Why should leaders tailor their approach to individual team needs?
I appreciate the shift from viewing team members as mere numbers to seeing them as individuals with unique souls. This perspective is crucial for effective leadership. I don't require much clarity (low C) and prefer high autonomy (high A), which I also extend to my team. Although my need for relationships (low R) is minimal, I recognize the importance of connection.
Starting a business often stems from a desire to succeed, which commonly reflects a profile of low C, high A, and low R. However, a lack of connection can lead you to question your motivations and actions, emphasizing that even minimal relationship-building is essential.
Leadership is about adapting to each team member's unique needs. For instance, one of my team members needs a lot of clarity, so I provide that in every interaction to help them perform their best. Conversely, while I might only spend five minutes on relationship-building for myself, I dedicate significantly more time to those on my team who need it.
It's crucial to avoid projecting your preferences onto others. Not everyone desires the same level of autonomy or clarity. Understanding and addressing individual preferences are fundamental to building trust and enhancing performance. Leadership is not one-size-fits-all; it's about treating people as they wish.
Using a common vocabulary of CARE, we ensure every team member feels understood and valued. Regularly checking in to see if team members have enough clarity or if the time spent on relationships is sufficient helps tailor your leadership approach to each person's needs. This dialogue enhances mutual understanding and fosters a productive work environment.
*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.*
