Know your Teammates - A Leadership Skill
The Power of Curiosity (3 Step Exercise).
Knowing your teammates means understanding the people you are working with - not just their role, title or position.
If you want to excel as a sports captain, a director, a founder, a leader, then I encourage you to learn about their personal stories, motivations, interests, and ideas, so you can foster a more cohesive and supportive team environment. This exercise will guide you in asking the right questions, planning meaningful conversations, and building connections that enhance team performance and morale.
Why know your teammates beyond the job function?
Your team is made up of people. The better you know them - and what they know - the better you can lead them.
Red Flags:
Before you dive into the exercise, look out for these red flags: thinking you know it all, keeping your questions to yourself, making assumptions about who your teammates are, and not seeking new information.
Here's three steps you can lean into:
Step 1- Select:
Select a teammate. Any ol'teammate.
Step 2 - Find the Gaps:
Think through the things you don't know about them (if you have a piece of paper or your phone, you can make some notes).
Perhaps you don't know their story. Their interests. Their worries. Their joys. Their ideas of how to win. Their reason for playing and competing in the sport, if you are a sports captain.
You are aiming to think of a minimum of three things you don't know about this person on your team.
Step 3 - Plan your Delivery:
Plan a time where you can have a chat with your teammate, so you can find out what you don't know. Be curious and enjoy the conversation.
Remember, your teammates are people. The better you know them, the better you can work with them. My invitation to you is to make a habit of knowing the people on your team. This will lead to increased team cohesion and spirit.
Tools:
Leadership
Emotional Intelligence