When buying a new car, if a salesperson shares a rehearsed spiel to make a sale, I get turned off. What would impress me is having someone listen to my needs and interests. Am I there to find a new car that has amazing new technology? Do I have colors picked out for the outside and the inside of the car? Am I interested in all the latest “bells and whistles”, those non-standard features? One approach does not fit all.
And in leading a team of people, one size does not fit all either. Even a small team of just a few direct reports will have some variety, some diversity among them. Differences will be present in their strengths and challenges based on their individual styles, as well as their preferences and interests. An effective leader will listen and observe and match their employees’ abilities to projects or tasks and consider how to stretch them out of their comfort zones when the work requires it. Some enjoy long-term tedious or repetitive work that focuses on a strong attention to detail, others are creative and share new ideas to explore, others are excellent at execution, some prefer collaboration while others prefer to work more independently. As a manager, it’s your responsibility to recognize your team’s diversity of skills and interests that can allow them to be successful. Frequent feedback, removing obstacles and respecting their differences will bring out their best work.
“Gettin’ good players is easy. Gettin’ ’em to play together is the hard part.” – Casey Stengel, New York Yankees Manager