SmartPulse — our weekly nonscientific reader poll in SmartBrief on Leadership — tracks feedback from more than 190,000 business leaders. We run the poll question each week in our e-newsletter.
What are the most important “services” you provide your team?
- Directing — setting direction, priorities and coordinating efforts: 29%
- Doing — making decisions, clearing obstacles and getting things done: 26%
- Delivering — ensuring quality and managing change: 5%
- Developing — training, coaching and growing your team: 39%
Point and Build. 70% of you spend your time either pointing your team in a direction or building that team. Clearly worthwhile pursuits because the stronger you make your team, the more effective they’ll be in meeting their goals. Don’t overlook delivery though. You’re the last stop in terms of quality. As for managing change, you play a critical role in moving the organization through the inertia that slows all change. If you can maintain a balance of services you provide to your team, they’ll perform well and always get what they need from you.
Mike Figliuolo is managing director of thoughtLEADERS, author of “Lead Inside the Box: How Smart Leaders Guide Their Teams to Exceptional Results” and “One Piece of Paper: The Simple Approach to Powerful, Personal Leadership.”