When speaking at the Women in Logistics conference two weeks ago, I was asked about how to use the strengths of your team.
I found myself sharing an example from when I worked with Southern Railway. This was a six year involvement to design and deliver a programme to help managers develop a coaching style of leadership.
The example I shared at the conference was about a director who was extremely frustrated that he could not get a member of his team to do something, however nicely, firmly or clearly he asked.
As part of his training, the director changed tack, and learnt to use a coaching style instead.
In practical terms, what this meant was, instead of telling the team member what to do, he used open questions instead. For example:
- What do you think the biggest challenge is in completing this task?
- How can you prioritise it alongside your other work?
- In your view what timescale do you need to complete this?
The director came back to me at the next training session and said:
“They have done in two weeks what I have been asking them to do for four months!”
He expressed this with a mixture of amusement and frustration.
Until now I had always thought it was the coaching style i.e. asking open questions which had made the difference and given the outcome desired.
Since speaking at the conference, a lightbulb has gone on for me. From adding the strengths perspective here too, a new answer has emerged for me.
Maybe there are two things going on here.
Firstly, the open questions does ask the team member to take more responsibility for how the task can be done.
It gets them thinking.
However, and this is key, by sharing authority for how the task can be completed, this liberates the team member, to intuitively work with their strengths.
By this I mean to work in a way which feels easy, joyous, where you have “flow”, and it feels natural, engaging, satisfying and energising.
A double result! The manager has the outcome they need, and the team member can now work in a way which allows them to thrive and shine!
Not everyone knows their strengths. And as a manager, you may not know the strengths of your team members either.
These three things can help:
- Notice when you feel energised inside. You will be using a strength
- Notice when the other person is acting in an energised way. Give them feedback about this – let the penny drop for them that a strength is at work!
- Use a strengths tool – such as this free one Values In Action – to learn more about your strengths.
I have now joined the dots!
The coaching process i.e. using open questions and sharing authority, gives the team member choice and freedom to use their strengths intuitively.
By using the three steps above, the manager and team member can also raise awareness of what these strengths are.
In this way, the manager and team member can plan to use them more in future.
Double result!
So now I’m wondering, can you put this idea into action, even whilst you are still learning what exactly your strengths, and those of your team, are?
Gill How is an internationally recognised speaker with her keynote “Switch On Your Strengths”, a Leadership Developer and Master Executive Coach.
If you would welcome an exploratory conversation to find out how Gill and “Switch On Your Strengths!” can help meet your organisation’s goals, get in touch:
Videography: Raccoon On The Run
