Every time I ask a team leader, whether they’re an executive or a front line manager: “Of all the questions and decisions that are asked by your team, what percentage of these could be directly answered by another team member?” I never get an answer below 50% – meaning that 1 in 2 questions that can, and should, be answered by someone else then the acting leader. Imagine that 50% of those answers are then answered by the wrong person at the wrong level, at the wrong time! Imagine how much energy, talent, mental effort and engagement is wasted!

That observation I made while accompanying executives and managers on the whether they answer and receive too many questions that could be answered by someone else then them, I decided to launch my movement “Empower Your Team” which is an invitation to redefine leadership and generate accountability. We all have the power to make our team evolve and the movement is an accelerator to that necessary evolution so everyone can fully and appropriately contribute.

Definition of the movement
The Empower Your Team Movement is an invitation to redefine leadership to create a culture of empowerment, innovation and engagement on a global scale. It’s a challenge given to leaders to push them to have the necessary conversations with their team and peers and apply those conversations to evolve from an expert posture to a coach posture, so that every decision is made on the appropriate level, by the right people and at the right moment! Be part of the conversation and be part of the evolution!

Who can be part of the movement?
The movement is for any leader that has the intention to act, make a change, that understands the necessity of evolving from an expert to a leader-coach and that want to learn and apply the tools to make concrete changes in their leader posture. Whether you are an executive, HR partner or team member, you can get involved and engage in the movement and have a greater impact within your team!

 

Actions to take to engage in the movement.

As a leader:

  • Be conscious of your expert posture.
  • Distinguish the difference between coaching and mentoring.
  • Develop the skills of a leader-coach.
  • Identify your USC to concentrate at the right strategic level.
  • Ask more questions to develop your decision making and creative muscles of your team.
  • Listen at the right and proper level.
  • Practice the 3-step coaching model of o2Coaching.
  • Solicit feedback to better yourself.
  • Identify the opportunities to delegate to ensure that decisions are made at the right level, by the right people.
  • Establish a team contract to give yourself a sense of direction and team norms that favorizes collective intelligence.

As a team member:

  • Identify your USC to concentrate and operate at the proper strategic level.
  • Request more opportunities to be strategic.
  • Request to be more in the decision-making process.
  • Develop your skills as a collaborative coach.
  • Practice the 3-step coaching model of o2Coaching.
  • Solicit feedback from your manager and colleagues to improve.
  • Develop your listening skills.
  • Ask pertinent, relevant and inspiring questions to stimulate creativity from your collaborators.

As an HR professional:

  • Identify your USC to concentrate and operate at the proper strategic level.
  • Develop your skills as a professional HR-Coach.
  • Practice the 3-step coaching model of o2Coaching.
  • Solicit feedback to improve.
  • Develop your listening skills.
  • Ask pertinent, relevant and inspiring questions to stimulate creativity from your collaborators.
  • Support managers in developing their coaching skills.
  • Give tools to managers that will help them develop and grow.

Daily tools to act on Empowering Your Team

  • The Empower Your Team guide and the conversation guide
    Podcast
  • Newsletter
  • Blog
  • Membership*

*Includes all resources, tools, models and exercises that you need to apply the actions mentioned above.

Now that you know a bit more on the movement, I’m inviting you to think about your current leader posture and to commit to three actions, as of this week, to help you develop your leader-coach posture, with the help of previously mentioned actions and suggested tools.