Yesterday’s “Big Game” was probably the least interesting one I have ever watched. My beloved Seahawks got knocked out in the first round of the post season, so that left me rooting for the Rams. The teams weren’t the problem, however. The game itself was the culprit. Overall, this game had a much different feel than other football games. As I was watching, a thought seeped into my mind. “This game feels like work.” Sometimes, at work, we aren’t having any fun, we are grinding. Sometimes, at work, we try everything and it still doesn’t work. Sometimes, at work, we have to keep our team’s energy up even though we are getting more and more frustrated. Time’s like these? Times like these are what separate sunshine leaders from real deal leaders. When things are humming and everything is clicking, leading others can feel easy. Hell, anyone can do it, right? Other times during our work life, though, it’s a much different story. Ever had a particular rough patch last not for 60 minutes, but for six months? Yeah, that’s where you are earning every ounce of treasure and respect. We need you when time’s are good, but we really need you when time’s aren’t. So, are you up the challenge?
With your teams, don’t get out of the way, do this instead
"Get out of the way!" I often hear some version of this sentiment when talking about building a culture to incentivize high performance teams. "You have to find the right people, equip them, and then get out of the way." People who talk about getting out of the way...