Stunted Growth
Stunted Growth
Six Mindsets that Limit Team’s Growth
By Raymond White
What’s up Leaders!
Regardless of what team you oversee, it is our responsibility for the teams we lead to be successful, to learn, to grow. Sure, we could have all-star staff members who can stir a positive response from their peers, but ultimately how well they develop rests on our shoulders.
Yet the one thing that can get in the way of our team’s success and growth is our mindset. The way we view ourselves, our work, and others can shape the culture of our teams. Which will determine the quality of the work we produce.
If we do not have a handle on our perception, we will fall into the trap stunting our team’s capabilities to be better.
What do we do about that?
For starters, there are actions we need to avoid at all cost so that we don’t cap the potential of our teams:
Mindset 1 — Focus on your self-image
I get it! Being a leader can be sexy work. Often times, our names associated with major work efforts. Recognition gets awarded to the leader for the team’s actions. Sometimes, having certain titles behind our names boosts a sense of pride. But that pride can overshadow the climate of the team. If all of our focus is on how we look, then we neglect the people who have helped us get to a place of success: The Team.
A leader’s ego will be the downfall of any strong team.
Solution — Focus on others!
Yes, we would not be here without the hard work of the team. So acknowledge them for their actions! Put their ideas first and showcase their capabilities more than our abilities to organize them. Effective team leaders know that serving the needs of others over our own will build buy-in and encourage collaboration.
Mindset 2 — Keep Status Quo
There is a saying that “if it ain’t broke, then don’t try to fix it.” I wonder if that saying makes us complacent? Our teams can get stuck in this trap of wanting to keep things the way they are because it’s working, even if the process is toxic and oppressive. Leaders can also get tied into this idea of maintaining status quo because our comfort and status will be in jeopardy if we change it.
Solution — Constructively Challenge!
Challenging is good and healthy, especially when its driven from a desire to grow. As we challenge what we see and experience, we want to do it with integrity and respect for people. Not to challenge for change sake, but to truly weigh the opportunities for improving our processes so we can better serve our customers.
Leaders have to remember to also not have their identity wrapped into the work itself but know that a dynamic, effective team requires the ability to navigate change.
Mindset 3 — Pass the blame
How many times have we been in a situation where the finger is pointed at another person or team when there is a problem? The Lack of ownership doesn’t build strong relationship, reflection, or resolution towards finding a root cause of an incident. A leader who encourages this behavior hurts the team and can breed negativity across the organization.
Solution — Take Personal Responsibility!
As team leaders, taking ownership of a situation can be hard, especially if it was caused by one of our team members. But we can use it as a reflective opportunity to either best support our team so we don’t have the same result, or identify a root cause where a process can be fixed. Either way, it takes maturity to step into these shoes and seek to be a part of the solution together.
Mindset 4 — Being Micro-focused
Being hyper-focused leader can be good at times, like when it’s crunch time and we need to get a team’s task completed before a deadline. But staying there does not help connect the work in a larger way. The tunnel vision can create a silo with individuals and teams. It could also have us focus on the wrong problem for a long time, applying unnecessary pressure on an issue that is insignificant on a larger scale.
Solution — See the Balance!
We need to have the ability to see the forest and the trees. Work to understand the vision of the organization and how the team connects with it. Once we understand it, communicate it often so that there is a constant reminder of why our work is important. Our teams will be grateful for the reminder of how their work is significant and how it impacts the larger system.
Mindset 5 — Team Independent
Individualism and independence can be valuable traits for self starters, but lousy qualities for a team within an organization. Similar to passing the blame, allowing independent, silo-ed thinking erodes relationships within our work. If our leadership mindset is fixated on the idea that it is “us against the world” then our teams will embody that same persona, leaving no room for growth together.
Solution — One Team. One Dream!
Strive to see how all work comes together and the impacts a decisions. It is important that our teams see us build connections with others through constant check-in’s, discussions of the work impact, and highlighting their work with others. Again, we are all striving towards the same goal.
Even though we have different functions, our team needs to see the shared dynamic of how our work relates.
Mindset 6 — Being apathetic
Apathy shows in a leader’s body language, tone, and output. When we are modeling these features as the “head” of the culture, teams pick up on that. If we do not care, neither will they. If we do not engage with the team, more than just to see if their work is getting done, our interactions with others will be very transactional and heartless.
Solution — Be an Empathetic Leader!
We want to encourage our staff to bring their full selves to work. To encourage that, we need to be more involved with them! Engage the staff regularly. Instead of giving a directive, find a way to problem solve with them. Be more open and inviting by leaving the office regularly and meet the staff where they are at.
Conclusion
If we want our teams to grow, we need to be selfless, relational, empowering, and global thinking.
The outcome of the team rises and falls on the shoulders of leadership. While it is a daunting task, it has a high reward when we practice actions that encourages others to work towards a greater vision than themselves.
It starts with us building a healthy culture of our teams. Let’s model what we want our company cultures to look like so our teams can be effective in their work!
Q&A: Question and Action
Reflect on these questions and give your feedback in the comments!
Which one do you find the most common in your workplace?
What are other ways leaders can increase a team’s growth?
What resources do you use to help build your leadership capabilities?
Finally, share with your peers your ideas on how to shape the mindset and culture of your teams!
You can do it and you can lead your team well!
