Bridging Leadership Lessons from the Workplace and Those Experiences Shaping Today's Youth and Tomorrow's Leaders
 Through my experiences in the workforce and in sports, I can safely say that success is found where great teams exist. The sad reality is that great teams are not nearly as common as they should be and more importantly, could be.
We will take a quick look at the four steps I use to help teams understand what it means to be a great team in their world and then align them so that they individual pieces will fit together and foster that culture of success. In my leadership development work, defining the traits and behaviors of great teams is an activity that we do in the beginning of each session. When combined with the traits of a great leader, it’s easy to tell that people understand the characteristics of a great team. So why is there such difficulty in creating great teams? Teams are built. A few unicorns may exist that seem to have a natural connection but the alignment that happens “naturally” comes through the same process. The 4 Steps to an IMPACT Team Before I ever get into the 4 steps, I work with the teams on the #1 trait referenced from my sessions, communication. While we won’t be divining into it here, we would take time to understand the communication style of the individuals, how it is experienced by others, and then work on ways that we can use that awareness to build stronger connections. Foundational Value System It all starts with Trust & Respect. You must build, establish, give it and ultimately earn it for the team to have a chance. We tie it back to communication and make sure that they are listening to understand to demonstrate that they value what their teammate is saying. We open up about the importance of transparency and vulnerability while showing the courage to make deposits in others' emotional bank accounts. We focus on what we can control and where we have influence instead of dwelling in those areas of concern. Shared Vision While I have a detailed session that works on creating an organizational wide shared vision that aligns departments as well as the hierarchy, this is a focused approach that is solely directed at why the team exists. What are the team goals? What do they mean to each individual and how can they impact them? This is the step where we create understanding. The KARS Process Once we understand why the team exists and the goal(s) that they are trying to achieve, we then focus on alignment. The approach I use for this, I have called the KARS process. It’s a 4-step method of making sure that the team is aligned on the roles necessary for this group of individuals to move from a good team to a great team. While the methodology is the same, regardless of the team, the roles and how they align are unique to the team as you must take into account the goal(s) as well as the skill sets of the individuals. K – Knowing the Roles A – Accepting the Roles R – Respecting the Roles S – Starring in the Roles Move to IMPACT In the first 3 steps, we laid out all the pieces to build a great team. We understand the roles, we know how they align, and now we need to start taking action to make the changes necessary for the pieces to be put together. We utilize commitment tools such as I Will vs I Want and share our I SEE YOUs where, individually and as a team, we recognize and share the value of our teammates and their role in making a great team. A lot of teams want to be great but are not always willing to get past their own ego, their own fears, their own biases to do what it takes. This process is a proven way to define how your team can become an IMPACT Team, and then create a pathway to move your team, Beyond Today. —--- If you would like to find out more about how we can help your team become an IMPACT Team DM me so we can set up a time to talk.
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 When I chose the name, Serve2Lead for my business, I wanted to capture what I felt I was called to do. But I also wanted it to serve as a reminder to myself that I have to focus on Serving and Leading even when life shows up in ways that flood you with emotions and stress.
In some ways, it has always come natural to me and something I never thought much about focusing on. Others would describe what I did as service, but I never felt it was really accurate as it seemed that the way they described it seemed much more noble than I felt. How we view ourselves, knowing our thoughts, inner voices and feelings, doesn’t always support the image others see and experience. Our fears, anxiety and anger are a part of what shapes us but that is the part people don’t see. It’s how the sausage is made! Servant Leadership My mentor, Steve Moles, shared a book with me early in our relationship called, The Way of the Shepherd written by Dr. Kevin Leman and William Pentak. It drove home the message of Servant Leadership which has been at the forefront of how I have tried to lead, but maybe not always as successful as I intended. I started writing this blog as part of my journey to become a more intentional leader - to serve otters through leading. The topics I have chosen to write about were ones that were relevant to my experiences with others and areas that I hoped could connect and help others, even if they didn’t recognize that they needed help. The Serve2Lead Logo I bring this up because it comes back to why I chose the name, Serve2Lead. When creating the logo, I felt it was important to include the circular arrows. It reinforces that while you must Serve to Lead, I wanted to call out why I choose to Lead, and the reason is to Serve. It also serves as a reminder that lives and actions are connected and that what you do impacts others - either positively or negatively. I used the number two, not just to be trendy, but I wanted a reminder that to be successful you need both. You can Serve and not Lead just as you can Lead and not Serve. But to truly be a Person of Impact you need to do both. Fostering a Serve2Lead Culture Establishing #LeadersLead is another part of my Serve2Lead journey. It is a free monthly, virtual gathering where leaders discuss pertinent topics facing leaders today. I use the subtitle, Leaders Growing Together because we don’t have to be alone on this journey. Others have travelled a similar road, maybe with similar experiences and different reactions. What can we learn from others? What can we share with others? If you have not yet participated in a #LeadersLead session, you can watch the past sessions and then register for the next session and join us in the Leadership Arena. The Serve2Lead mindset is at the heart of the 3 Pillars of Impact. The approach used in our development sessions, in the individual and small group IMPACT Coaching, is all about how we can make an impact through serving others. We say it’s about building a culture of success, because it’s based on a culture of serving. So that’s it! That’s why I chose Serve2Lead. My energy comes from the opportunity to Serve AND to Lead. That energy is used to feed others and in turn is used to fuel me. Whether you choose to Serve to Lead or you Lead to Serve, you are choosing to make an impact, Beyond Today.  Celebrating failure to protect someone's feelings is a pathway to another failure. It’s what you do with the failure that matters.
I recently spent time with an organization engaging their leadership in a session on the 3 Pillars of Impact: Building a Culture of Success. During our conversation around the 2nd Pillar, Expect Excellence, we were discussing the power of learning from mistakes. F.A.I.L. - First Attempt In Learning I shared the adage that FAIL stands for First Attempt In Learning. Participants responded with stories of their own and you could hear enthusiasm in their voices as they talked about the growth that comes from failing, about getting beyond your comfort zone and the power found when you stretch your potential. Afterwards, an attendee texted me a Mark Twain quote his father shared numerous times growing up. “Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.” It was a great connection we shared as a group on that common message. The Leader's Mindset That evening, as I was scrolling through X and reflecting on the day, I came across a post from Dr. Jim Afremow who has written some excellent books such as The Champion’s Mind & The Leader’s Mind. He wrote: “Failure doesn’t automatically equal learning - It’s how we approach it that counts. Reflecting on what didn’t work, seeking feedback, and adjusting our mindset turn failure into a meaningful lesson. Without that, failure is just a waste of time.” This really hit home to me and something I realized was really easy to get caught up in when you are trying to move people forward. In coaching, we try to not dwell on what “you did” but more on what “we need” in an effort to spend time on the behavior we want instead of on the one we don’t. But sometimes, people need to know that there needs to be a change. To recognize what needs to change. Then celebrate making the change - to celebrate action and not just desire. I had written in the past about Helicopter Parents in a Road Less Traveled where parents have a tendency to try and make life easier with their kids. It continues in the workplace as cultures have become People-Easy thinking that is how you create engagement but instead you are reinforcing a behavior that doesn’t recognize the importance of overcoming obstacles. Focus on the Response to Failure As leaders, we have to be careful that we are conveying the right message. We love that you push the boundaries. Failure is okay… as long as we learn and grow from that failure. You don’t say “Nice try, but you failed.” Just like you don’t say, “that’s okay everyone fails, you’ll do better next time,” and walk away without expecting a course correction. It has to be “nice try, it didn’t work out, NOW what adjustments can you make to get success?” I have written much on this topic in previous articles:
Because you can’t cover this topic enough. Success is built upon the foundation of failure, but only when you choose to adjust - to learn and grow - and find a new pathway or be better prepared to travel the same pathway. Don’t Celebrate Failure It’s trendy to celebrate failure. But instead of celebrating failure maybe we should simply acknowledge it and NOT demonize it. Then, we only celebrate if we do something with it. We don’t celebrate failure in order to save someone’s feelings. We wait for the response. We cheer as they rise to their feet and we celebrate when we see the change, the growth, in the person. Failure is an investment. There is a price for failure. Time, money, reputation, and products. Some failures can be life altering and in the extreme case resulting in loss of life. So, what are you going to do with your new opportunity? How will you rebound? How will you use this experience to make a positive impact Beyond Today? |
AuthorTom Brown - a husband and a father who is simply trying to make a difference. Using my experience as a Manufacturing Executive to connect leadership from the boardroom to the hardwood to help teams grow and develop to make a difference in the lives of others. 
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