As a business leader, what do you think is your greatest resource? It’s not anything monetary or physical; it’s not your business plan or your posh office space. Your most precious resource is your team—each member of it offering a unique perspective and skillset from which you can cultivate and refine your business.
The question is, are you taking full advantage of this resource? Many leaders, frankly, do not. They sit in their offices and dictate their ideas, rather than rolling up their sleeves, pulling up a chair, and getting down to the important work of collaboration.
But the thing is, collaborating with your team members is the only real way to tap into their great ideas, to nurture their creativity, and to push yourself to be smarter, more effective, and more innovative.
In a word, collaboration is what real leaders do. It’s how you show you’re serious about building a stellar team and a successful business.
But what does a really collaborative leader look like? Some thoughts:
- Collaborative leaders believe that power comes from a team working together as one—not just from one central authority figure.
- Collaborative leaders openly share information rather than hoarding it; information is a tool for the whole team to benefit from, not something to hold onto or to hoard.
- Collaborative leaders are open to suggestions and give team members a voice for making their ideas known. They empower, rather than silence, and they recognize that anyone on the team can have a great ideas—not just the leader or the business owner.
- Collaborative leaders brainstorm solutions rather than dictating them.
- Collaborative leaders are comfortable when roles and responsibilities evolve; they embrace fluidity rather than clinging to rigid structure. Collaborative leaders go beyond their job description!
- Collaborative leaders are not stingy with the gift of their feedback. They endeavor to make feedback constructive. They are open to receiving feedback as well as dispensing it.
Collaboration is the hallmark of an effective team—and it doesn’t come about by accident. It comes about only when the leader embraces, exemplifies, and encourages it.
This article was originally posted on RickGoodman.com.