The power of leadership stems from the strength of the people being led. What does this mean exactly? Well it basically means that a leader is powered by the skills and knowledge of their team. The stronger and more cohesive the team is, the more powerful the leader can be. As a leader, you work with people that are diverse in their own way. When we talk about diversity, we talk about differences in skills, personalities, passions, etc. A lot of companies think of diversity as a strength in the workplace. That’s absolutely true, and as a leader, you should always aim to leverage the maximum strength of your diverse team. A great leader is one that asks twice before adding their stroke (a.k.a making a decision).
As a leader in the tech industry, I have come across people of many differences, and I’m not talking about the physical or ethnic differences. I’m referring to differences in abilities and personalities. I look at every individual as a source of power that stems from their unique way of processing and offering solutions. I have seen individuals who were ready to execute fast on problems they were familiar with, while others who were ready to bring their unique perspective to the table. Some individuals were always ready to speak their minds, while others preferred to think quietly before giving their best opinion. Leveraging what each individual has to offer is the power I thrive on! This is what I call “leveraging the hidden strength”.
Great leaders who are emotionally intelligent (otherwise known as emotional quotient or EQ) are often effective at creating a positive work environment. By incorporating emotional intelligence into their leadership style, they can create a positive and inclusive work culture, inspire and motivate their team members, and foster strong relationships based on mutual respect and understanding. Understanding how to bring out the best in people is a muscle that all leaders should develop and practice. Sadly, some leaders believe that the strongest person on the team is themselves, and those leaders are simply losing out on the hidden strength of their team. Creating an environment that allows everyone to bring their best self forward is a stroke that some leaders miss.
Communication is the key to unlocking the potential that a team has to offer. Some people are verbal communicators while others are all about writing. Some like defined boundaries while others thrive on open creativity. Some like to plan ahead while others prefer to experiment and see. Some are driven by deadlines while others are driven by tasks. Some like to show off their opinions while others prefer to anonymously provide it. Some like the driver seat while others prefer the passenger seat. Some like to jump into the deep end while others prefer to ease their way into it. Recognizing and managing all types of differences in people is what distinguishes an incredible leader with a high EQ from a leader who is rigid in their leadership and is basically missing out on the hidden strength of their team. Leadership is all about exploring the different palettes of colors that will make the portrait look its best and rigid leaders are simply limiting themselves to a fixed set of colors.
Digging deep and understanding what each individual has to offer and how they excel at offering it falls high on the leadership manifesto. Acknowledging the differences in individuals doesn’t mean accepting them as is. Leaders should recognize the strengths of individuals not only to leverage them in the best way possible but also to identify growth opportunities that would help them tackle and improve their weaknesses. If I wanted to brainstorm on an idea and make sure I’m inclusive of those individuals who speak their minds as well as individuals who think quietly, I would distribute a pre-read or document that captures the idea and outlines the expected outcome that I’m looking for. This way I give the quiet thinkers a chance to compile and provide their thoughts without being interrupted by the outspoken individuals. I would then set up a meeting to further brainstorm and give those who speak their minds a chance to do so. By then, both types of individuals would have had the opportunity to be part of the brainstorm, while effectively leveraging the strength of the team.
Some individuals prefer ambiguous loosely defined problems where they can bring their creative side to the table. For those individuals, I would only define the outer boundaries of the problem at hand and let them thrive on bringing their creative self to work. While individuals that execute best on properly defined territories, I would spend the time with them to nail down the problem definition and then see them do their execution magic. Better yet, pairing up individuals that bring different approaches can boost the power and provide healthy perspectives.
By facilitating effective communication and collaboration among team members, leaders tap into the collective intelligence and creativity of the team, enabling them to overcome challenges and achieve goals more effectively. They recognize that the power of a diverse team lies in the collective strengths of its members and understand that unlocking this hidden strength is key to achieving extraordinary outcomes.