This is why itās so important to remind people of what really matters. Describe over and over again the world youād like to see. Try to connect every task, project, decision, or goal with the organizationās higher-level purpose. If everyone understands the dream, then the teamās actions will be aligned in making it a reality.
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Running a team is hard because it ultimately boils down to people, and all of us are multifaceted and complex beings. Just like how there is no one way to go about being a person, there is no one way to go about managing a group of people.
And yet, working together in teams is how the world moves forward. We can create things far grander and more ambitious than anything we could have done alone. This is how battles are won, how innovation moves forward, how organizations succeed. This is how any remarkable achievement happens.
I believe this as deeply as I believe anything: Great managers are made, not born. It doesnāt matter who you are. If you care enough to be reading this, then you care enough to be a great manager.
Repeatedly talk about your values so that everyone understands what great talent looks like. And, above all, make it clear that building the team isnāt just one personās job, itās everyoneās job.
When you value something deeply, donāt shy away from talking about it. Instead, embrace telling people why itās important to you. Assume that for the message to stick, it should be heard ten different times and said in ten different ways. The more you can enlist others to help spread your message, the more likely it is to have an impact.
Iāve found that the more frequently and passionately I talk about whatās important to meāincluding my missteps and what Iāve learned through themā the more positively my team responds. Iāll get notes from people saying, āI care about that too. How can I help?ā Iāll hear others reinforcing the same messages and supporting each other to change their behavior. And even when people disagree with me, the act of discussing it openly sheds light on the topic for everyone.
If you say something is important to you and youād like the rest of your team to care about it, be the first person to live that value. Otherwise, donāt be surprised when nobody else does either.