If you grew up playing sports, you probably heard the phrase “there is no ‘I’ in team” a million times from your coaches. It perfectly captures the ‘me or we?’ approach to leadership that can be the difference between a team’s success and failure.
The ‘me’ approach stems from a person’s inward focus, putting personal gain above the team. While this leadership style might achieve desired results, it may come at a cost, such as decreased morale, increased absenteeism, and higher turnover. However, a team-oriented leader is better positioned to see their team through the company’s highs and lows because the leader’s ‘we’ approach inspires others to follow them.
Take a moment to read the traits of a team-oriented leader below and reflect on your personal leadership style. Are their areas where you can improve? Which traits can you adopt? Consider this and try the ‘Call to Action’ tasks.
OPEN-MINDED
Being open to the opinions and ideas of others is the first trait of a team-oriented leader. Seeking input from your team and others—even outside your organization and industry—can provide insights and perspectives not previously considered. A team-oriented leader will value diversity of thought, weigh options objectively, and be secure enough to accept a better approach suggested by others.
ACTIVE LISTENING
Team-oriented leaders are great active listeners, which means they are in the moment when team members approach them to share ideas. They listen to understand and ask questions to reinforce their understanding. Asking questions also helps subordinates think through their perspectives to solve a problem on their own.
RESPONSIBLE
An unreliable person in a leadership role can lose credibility fast. Team-oriented leaders focus on the team’s success. To achieve this, they hold themselves accountable and accept responsibility when the team fails to meet goals. A responsible team leader is reliable, responsive, and present, not only on a daily basis, but also in the moment.
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Team-oriented leaders are great communicators. They listen more and talk less, choosing their words wisely. These types of leaders know when to stop speaking and when to ask questions to clarify or to help the other person think through their idea more. Effective communicators are also approachable and are always mindful of their body language, tone, and inflection.
SERVICE-ORIENTED
A servant leader is people-oriented. They focus on empowering others over their own personal gain and helping others shine. People will naturally gravitate toward servant leaders because they feel safe with this type of leader and know the leader is genuinely interested in their development.
Call to Action
- Practice pausing five seconds to gather your thoughts before responding.
- Practice honoring the efforts of your team publicly.
- Practice soliciting input from others before making key decisions.
- Practice active listening by paraphrasing and asking questions.
The information in this article is provided as a courtesy of Great West Casualty Company and is part of the Value-Driven® Company program. Value-Driven Company was created to help educate and inform insureds so they can make better decisions, build a culture that values safety, and manage risk more effectively. To see what additional resources Great West Casualty Company can provide for its insureds, please contact your safety representative, or click below to find an agent.
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