The Power of Exemplary Teamwork
Getting out of your comfort zone is a crucial part of being a great leader.
The energy we exude as leaders and team members can inspire those around us to go above and beyond their comfort zones and embrace change. As a team member and leader, it is your job to champion change, not just to get used to it. When we spread joy and help each other, we’re more than just a team member. We turn our positive energy into a force that can quickly and successfully ride the waves of change. Staying in your comfort zone means staying the same, and this is very important to remember.
How can you inspire the same in your team? Your energy sets you apart. Are you kind, thankful, and encouraging? If so, your energy is contagious. If you are hostile, aggressive, and pessimistic, you’ll be easy to ignore and disengage from.
Let’s discuss how positive energy and traits can inspire the team around you to embrace the unknown and go beyond what they already know.
Be Empathetic
- Say you are in charge of a project that has a lot of risks and things you don’t know. You don’t know what to do next because your team is scared. This is where being able to understand helps. If you want your team to trust you, you need to know what worries them. Sarah, the project manager, saw that her team was stressed out about putting in new technology. She didn’t ignore these worries; instead, she acknowledged them, held classes to answer questions, and helped her team learn the new system. This bond did more than ease the transition; it also changed people who didn’t want the change into those who did.
Be Appreciative
- Being thankful does more than say “thank you”; it makes people more loyal and excited. When James had a demanding client, he made sure to thank everyone on his team for their contributions and work. This made the team feel like their work was necessary, which pushed them to focus more on the quality of their contributions and take on tasks with a “can-do” attitude.
Be Enthusiastic
- Joy spreads easily. As a department lead, Laura was thrilled about how her department could change the company. Her strong will and energy were evident. Her team was swept up in this excitement, turning a challenging market entry into an exciting time for everyone to win together.
Be a Mentor
- What do you do to help others earn respect? Michael was in charge of database technology and always chose what to do based on what was right and what was true. His team didn’t just respect him; they had complete faith in his decisions. So, they were all ready to follow him, even if it meant going to places they hadn’t been before.
Be inclusive
- When you value someone, they will do their best. Anita, who was in charge of R&D, always made it clear that she valued her team’s comments and questions. She made it a point to hear diverse thoughts and ideas from everyone involved. In turn, this made the people on her team care about the projects and pushed them to find new ways to deal with challenges.
Be Open-minded
- When you’re ready to listen to other people, others will gravitate towards you. Tom, the marketing manager, set up a planning meeting with the phrase “no bad ideas” in mind. Every thought was welcome. This method not only helped their campaigns but also made everyone on the team feel like they belonged and contributed.
Be Supportive
- Acknowledgement reaffirms worth. Sophia always said nice things about other people. Being customer success-focused was easy for her. By recognizing her team’s ideas in public, she made them feel vital to the company’s success, which helped inspire them to keep working hard.
Be Bold
- Being brave inspires. Kevin would gladly make risky bets at work as a training lead. His well-planned innovations paid off, and they inspired others to get outside their comfort zone and be just as brave in their work, which changed how people marketed and sold their products.
Be Optimistic
- Hope can help people get through rough seas. Chloe, an operations lead, was having trouble within the supply chain, but she kept a positive attitude and focused on what she could change. She worked diligently to find creative solutions. Her upbeat attitude reassured the team, turning a challenge into a chance to practice flexibility.
Be Confident
- Confidence offers assurance. Raj introduced a controversial pricing model, and his unwavering belief in the data and research behind the decision provided his team with the assurance they needed to support and advocate for the change.
Be Passionate
- Passion is what drives people to keep going. Nina loved her environmental tech company so much that she viewed it as a hobby and a way to contribute to the larger society. She inspired her team to persevere even when things went wrong and championed a green change in their industry.
Be Creative
- Creativity helps us see problems as opportunities to innovate. Due to budget cuts, Marco, the creative director, rethought how his team could run campaigns, turning constraints into creative successes.
Be Curious
- Being curious leads to better answers. As an assistant, Zoe made sure that her clients’ plans not only met their needs but also went above and beyond them by really understanding them.
Be Kind
- Last but not least, being friendly makes the workplace more pleasant. The team felt more like a family because Alex cared about and respected his coworkers. They were ready to help each other through good times and bad.
