'Leaders who make me look smart' vs. 'Leaders who make their team look smart'

in 19th century England, a woman had dinner with two men who were political rivals of the time. one was William Gladstone, the other was Benjamin Disraeli. After the meal, she wrote this review.

"When I dined with Gladstone, I felt that he was the smartest man in England; but when I dined with Disraeli, I felt that I was the smartest man in England."

this anecdote starkly illustrates the difference in leadership styles between the two leaders. gladstone was a leader who made himself shine by overwhelming others with his knowledge and abilities, while Disraeli was a leader who madeothers shine by bringing out their potential.

what does that look like in our organizations today? have we become accustomed to meetings where the leader decides and dictates everything, and reports that merely summarize the leader's thoughts? In this environment, people gradually lose the ability to think for themselves and stop growing because "we can't do anything without the leader". this is a paradoxical situation where the leader's individual excellence actually stifles team growth, which is far from a healthy organizational culture.

the essence of true leadershipis not about how much you shine, but how much those around you shine because of you. the hallmark of a good leader is that they make their team members realize their own value and feel like, "I'm pretty good, too." This sense of self-efficacy is the best motivator of all, and it drives the entire team to maximize performance.

google's secret to the strongest teams: a sense of psychological safety

so how do you get your team to shine? The answer lies in a sense of psychological safety. google, the world's largest company, conducted the Aristotle Project to uncover the secrets of high-performing teams. After years of research, the conclusion was surprising. the most important factor in creating the best teams is not the skills or experience of the team members, but a sense of psychological safety.

by psychological safety, I mean the belief that "in this team, I will not be criticized or penalized for having an opinion or making a mistake." It's an organizational culture where people feel free to suggest ideas, ask questions, and challenge without fear of failure.

the most important part of creating this environment is the role of the leader. when leaders are willing to admit their mistakes, share their uncertainty, and be vulnerable, team members feel safe to speak up. microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's dramatic transformation of the company from a "know-it-all" culture to a "learn-it-all" culture is a prime example of how leadershipcan change an organization's culture.

leadersneed to be the safety net for their teams, and when a new endeavor ends in failure, rather than assigning blame, they turn it into a learning opportunity by asking, "It's okay, what did we learn from this failure?" when this trust is built, team members choose challenge over avoidance, and incredible team growthoccurs.

a leader's coaching conversation for growth: The GROW model

once the psychological safety is in place, it's time to unleash the potential of each member, and the most effective tool for this is leadership coaching. as a leader, you're not a fixer with the right answers, but rather a coach who helps your team members find their own answers.

there are many coaching techniques, but one of the easiest and most powerful is the GROW model.

the steps key objective example leader question Goal clarify the desired ideal outcome "What would it look like if this were a complete success?" Reality objectively identify the current situation and obstacles "What have you tried so far to accomplish your goal?" Options freely explore all possible solutions "If there were no constraints, what would you be willing to try?" Will create a concrete action plan and hold yourself accountable "Of the alternatives you've explored, what's one thing you can start doing right away?"

Conversations based on the GROW model put team members in control of the problem. as they use the leader's questions to diagnose the situation and explore solutions on their own, team members experience incredible growth and take ownership of their work. this kind of leadership coachinghas a much more powerful effect on motivating people than one-sided directives.

3 motivational leadership practices you can start practicing today

great leadershipisn't about big declarations, it's about small, everyday habits. try these three practices starting today.

  1. growth-focused 1:1s: Use 1:1s as a time for growth, not just a time to report on work. Asking questions like, "What's on your mind about your career?" and "What can we do to help you grow?" builds trust that you value them as people, not just parts.

  2. feedback is forward-looking: The purpose of feedback is growth, not reprimand. rather than pointing out past mistakes, focus on future behaviors, saying, "What if you did this differently next time?" praise should be in front of everyone, and feedback for improvement should always be delivered 1:1.

  3. specificrecognition and support: Rather than vague "good job" praise, point out specific behaviors and results, such as "Your calm response to a challenging request from Client A helped us close the deal, which really impressed me." specific recognition is the most effective way to highlight team members' strengths and reinforce positive behaviors.

frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Q. my team members are too passive and don't speak up, what can I do?

A. This is a classic sign of low psychological safety. first, as a leader, be honest and say, "I'm not sure about this, so let's figure it out together." in meetings, asking specific questions like "What are the potential pitfalls of this plan?" instead of "Do you have any objections?" is much more effective.

Q. i'm worried that emphasizing a sense of psychological safety will break the team's discipline.

A. A sense of safety doesn't mean a lack of accountability; in fact, high safety and high accountability go hand in hand for the best teamwork and performance. it's important to provide clear goals and standards in a safe environment, and to share accountability.

Q. i have no coaching experience, where should I start?

A. You don't have to be perfect the first time. In your next 1:1 meeting, instead of jumping right in with a solution to a problem your teammate brings to you, try asking one question, "What are some ways you've thought of to solve this problem?" just focusing on listening more than giving advice is the start of great coaching.

the bottom line

key takeaway: The best leadership comes not from how competent you are, but from your ability to believe in the potential of your people and let them shine.

are you a "Disraeli" type of leader who makes your team members feel like they're smart and engaging? we hope that the leadership strategies we' ve shared today will help you become a shining leader who grows with your team.

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