Increasing Engagement: Are You a FROM Leader or a FOR Leader?
I recently had an opportunity to hear Dr. John Maxwell talk about lessons he learned from his mentor and friend, Coach John Wooden. John Maxwell and the coach were talking about how a coach (the leader) makes his or her team better. Coach Wooden said that he always focused on making each player better, thinking that if each player improved, the team would improve. And then the coach added a phrase that caught John Maxwell by surprise. The coach added, “and not just in basketball.”
Work vs. Life
When Dr. Maxwell dug deeper with coach Wooden, he discovered that when the coach thought about making someone better, he meant as a better person, not just a better basketball player. By becoming a better person and improving in all areas of their life, they would also be improving as basketball players. Coach Wooden’s ten NCAA national championships in 12 years, including a record seven in a row, proves he may have been on to something.
As Dr. Maxwell reflected on this teaching, he commented that John Wooden wanted more FOR his players that he wanted FROM his players. Can you say that about the individuals on your team? It’s easy as a leader to look at the people on your team as “employees” and expect things FROM them in that role. What coach Wooden was suggesting that when people show up, they bring their whole self to work, not just the employee-self. If you see the whole person, it makes it easier to want more FOR them and not just more FROM them.
For vs. From
When you can place the growth and development of the people on your team about your own need to win and succeed, you have moved to a much higher level of leadership. What coach Wooden knew was that if he put the development and growth of his team above the need to win and succeed, he would actually win and succeed. The same is true for you and me. Dr. Maxwell often asks the question of leaders, are you motivating or manipulating the people on your team to get where you need the team to be? It’s easy as a leader to become so focused on where we are going that we manipulate the situation or the people to get what we want FROM the team. With this small change in mindset, you can move toward what you want FOR the team and take your team to even higher levels of performance and success.
Legacy
John Maxwell said he asked the coach what he wanted to be remembered for when he was gone. Coach Wooden answered that he wanted to be remembered as someone who valued people and helped them lead a successful life. The coach didn’t mention the record-setting championship run or any of the myriad of other awards he won.
If you want to increase buy-in from your team and increase employee engagement, shift your mindset from wanting things FROM the people on your team and instead want more FOR the people on your team.
As a leader, one of the fastest ways to increase influence with others is to improve how you communicate. More specifically, we need to improve how others perceive our communication.