To be a strong team player, it is important for an executer like Martin to delegate tasks, involve the team, and focus on strategy alongside execution.
For someone like Jackie with strong opinions, it is crucial to be open to debate, involve others in decision-making, and explain the thought process behind ideas to create a more inclusive environment.
Max, as a team builder, should strike a balance between advocating for the team and prioritizing the overall goals of the business, by delegating more and aligning the team's interests with the organization's objectives.
Deep dives
Martin's Challenge of Balancing Execution and Collaboration
Martin excels at execution and getting things done, but struggles with balancing attention to detail and involving the team. While he believes that execution is his primary role, feedback suggests that he needs to take a step back, delegate more, and create a more inclusive process. By letting go of some control, involving others, and focusing on strategy alongside execution, Martin can build a stronger and more engaged team.
Jackie's Struggle with Strong Opinions and Collaboration
Jackie is highly skilled in crafting opinions and strategies, but feedback highlights her lack of collaboration and inclusion. She wonders why her valuable insights are not automatically accepted. The advice to Jackie is to be less dictatorial and more open to debate and dissent. By loosening her grip on opinions, involving others in the decision-making process, and presenting the thought process behind her ideas, she can create a more inclusive environment and gain more buy-in from the team.
Max's Dilemma of Advocating for the Team vs. the Business
Max is highly regarded as a manager and advocate for his team. However, he is receiving feedback that he prioritizes his team's interests over what's best for the business. His belief is that great managers should always fight for their team, but the challenge lies in finding the right balance. The suggestion for Max is to pull back slightly, delegate more, and create a positive and inclusive process. By aligning the team's interests with the overall goals of the business, Max can create a healthier dynamic and improve the chances of success for both the team and the organization.
Jenny's Need to Balance Scaling with Involvement
Jenny excels at scaling and managing organizations, but feedback suggests that she needs to be more involved in the details and decision-making processes. She is focused on delegating and giving her team autonomy, which sometimes leads to a lack of clarity and understanding of her point of view. The solution for Jenny is to find a balance between being hands-off and being informed. By getting more involved in the context and challenges of projects and sharing her insights while avoiding micromanagement, Jenny can foster a more effective and cohesive team.
Evan's Challenge of Expertise vs. Innovation
Evan, with his extensive expertise and knowledge of the company, has become a gatekeeper for innovation. However, feedback suggests that he may be stifling new ideas and hindering innovation. The advice is for Evan to scale up and transition to a role that focuses more on high-level decision-making. By fostering an environment that encourages experimentation, celebrating unexpected successes, and being open to new ideas from less-experienced team members, Evan can overcome the challenge of relying too much on his expertise and promote a more innovative culture within the company.
Today’s episode is the second part, and deeper analysis, on “the shadows of your superpowers”. These are a type of development areas that are associated with your greatest strengths. I use example personas to detail 5 common shadows I’ve noticed across my career and coaching. For each, I breakdown why the shadow is elusive, common reactions to receiving feedback around it, and actionable advice for addressing the development area. Whether these shadows remind you of yourself or of others - in a personal or professional context - this reflection will help you cast the shadows into the light.
Today’s discussion covers:
A recap of the “shadows” concept
Executer who struggles to be a team player (Martin)
Strong opinions, tightly held (Jackie)
Team builder who becomes too political (Max)
Organizational expert who is too hands-off (Jenny)
Company veteran who struggles to innovate (Evan)
How you can apply these reflections
Timestamps: [00:00:00] Recapping the “shadows” concept [00:02:00] Where to apply these insights in your life [00:04:38] Example #1: Executer who struggles to be a team player (Martin) [00:09:31] Advice for Martin [00:13:07] Example #2: Strong opinions, tightly held (Jackie) [00:14:18] Advice for Jackie [00:17:17] Example #3: Team builder who becomes too political (Max) [00:19:12] Advice for political Max [00:23:24] Example #4: Organizational expert who is too hands-off (Jenny) [00:25:06] Advice for Jenny [00:29:16] Example #5: Company veteran who struggles to innovate (Evan) [00:33:09] Advice for Evan [00:36:57] Conclusion
