While many people point out the perks and benefits of success and leadership, they often forget to include the pressure points and challenges of both. Many successful leaders and people will admit that both success and leadership can be very lonely roads. Everyone wants to feel like someone understands their plight and can relate to them. The more success a person attains, the more likely they are to experience a level of isolation and loneliness. By making intentional connections and cultivating them, a leader doesn’t have to feel this way. But, there is another way to avoid the lonely leader syndrome. The new shift in leadership involves becoming more of a collaborative leader. Collaborative leaders operate in a different frame of mind and the results tend to trickle down quickly.
- Be human.
Depending on the company culture, a department head or team leader is often viewed as an overseer or a tyrant. In an attempt to maintain a level of professionalism, many leaders tend to keep interactions dedicated to business-related issues and conversations. As a leader, it’s so effective for your team to realize that you’re human. Don’t be afraid to share parts of your personality with the team. It is possible to be professional and develop a relatable factor at the same time.
This type of approach will help your team realize that it’s okay to bring their talents and quirks to the team because it can deepen the connection with one another. It can also increase the quality of work that’s produced from the department. Working in a strained environment with an incredibly uptight boss can be stressful. Take the edge off of a stressful work environment by sharing your humanity at times.
Whether it involves get-togethers after-hours or casual conversations about non-business matters, try to develop a sense of humanity and vulnerability that’s still appropriate and professional for the workplace.
- Create a team culture.
Each company has its own culture. However, every team and department within the company are different. As a leader of a team, you get to decide the tone and pace. Create an environment that’s conducive to teamwork. When people share the responsibilities of a major project, each person has stake and a vested interest in its success.
Do your best to get to know your team and their personalities. When this happens, you’ll be able to pair different people on teams that’ll complement one another’s skill sets. Instead of working on various projects and assignments in a cubicle, it’s a great idea to even change the physical workspace. Make it a more collaborative environment by knocking down the walls, installing large tables and adding workstations where employees can actually see one another. While working in a closed space as its place, it’s also great for your team members to become familiar with one another and intentional about working together.
If someone needs to work in a closed cubicle for a few hours or host a private teleconference, always maintain a private work area that can be used when needed. This is also really important for your people as well as you. While you may have a private office, it’s also good to have a standing desk in the open area as well. Be intentional about working there on a regular basis. Whether you’re working on specific tasks for a few hours in that area or only work there a few times a week, your team needs to see that you’re engaged, invested in the work and available to assist and lead. Even if you don’t work in the main area with the team, always have an open door policy. Your team should always rely on the understanding that you’re available to them.
Looking for more ways to encourage a culture of collaborative leadership? Contact us at DeSantis Trusted Advisors for more ideas and advice.
