The dream team for any leader has to be a team of professionally mature individuals who can be relied upon to deliver with minimal supervision. But that same dream team could be a challenge for a leader who thrives on being ‘in charge’. Perhaps then I need to rephrase that first statement. The dream team for a mature leader has to be a team of professionally mature individuals who deliver with minimal supervision. Some of the concerns and fears that arise in coaching conversations highlight the fear of becoming redundant on the job, because as the leader of a mature team of professionals. Is the feeling of apprehension and possibly inadequacy justified? It shouldn’t be. Leading a team of domain experts and professionally mature individuals just requires a different approach than leading emerging talent.
When you have a seasoned team, you have to bear in mind that each of them is focused on their respective area of expertise, and as much as they may engage each other as colleagues, the team still needs a leader who will nurture collaborative synergies, provide strategic guidance, allocate resources and yes, make decisions. So instead of the skill of closely managing team members at supervisory level, the leader of leaders would be more focused on cultivating and promoting an enabling environment. In other words, the leader of leaders main areas of activity would be to promote open communication, building trust, setting clear expectations, and providing opportunities for professional growth.
Key Strategies for Leading Leaders:
Open Communication and Transparency:
Instead of playing your cards close to the chest and operating on a need to know basis like some of the leaders in lower organizational levels, the leader of leaders works to maintain open communication channels by being transparent about his/her goals, expectations, and decisions. This leader is equally committed to receiving input and listens actively to his/her team’s perspectives.
Build Trust and Rapport
We talk about professional distance and other such practices to maintain executive presence, so it might sound contrary to say, as a leader of leaders, you’re expected to establish strong work relationships with your team members, demonstrating trust, respect, and a willingness to collaborate.
Empower and Delegate:
When you are well-acquainted with your team, you will know their strengths, weaknesses, work styles, aspirations and other such performance drivers enough to be able to delegate tasks appropriately, empowering team members to take ownership and make decisions within their areas of expertise. Naturally delegation is most effective when there are clear set expectations, so it remains vitally important that each team member understands their roles, and responsibilities,.
Be the Standard:
Demonstrate the behaviors, values, and work ethic you expect from your team members, setting a positive and productive example. Make decisions and proactively handle challenges. And where it is warranted, acknowledge and reward outstanding performance and contributions, fostering a culture of appreciation and motivation. And, be willing to take feedback, both negative and positive, to facilitate your own continuous development.
As the leader of leaders, the ability to create and maintain an enabling environment is perhaps one of the more prominent aspects of a C-suite appointment. Cultivate that skill, and all the best with that.
