Getting to know the leaders in your organization

One of the biggest lessons you can learn in business is to ensure that you understand those who you work with.

You’re especially going to spend a lot of time with the leaders in your organization – and, it’s very important that you learn what they’re passionate about, what their aspirations are, and what their strengths, weaknesses, likes and dislikes are.

So, how do you get to know your leaders?

Sharing Meals – Breaking bread together can be one of the best ways to develop a team. Where there is business, there also needs to be fun. Take your team out for a nice dinner, and ensure that you’re not just talking shop the entire time. You’ll be surprised at how much you learn!

Personality profiling – A key piece to working alongside those in your organization is getting to know where they fall in their personality profile. While there are many tools one can use, one of my favorites is the “DISC” tool - this measures Dominance (leadership), Influence (the ability to convince), Steadfastness (the ability to support others), and Compliance (the adherence to rules and procedures). When you map each person’s profile, you’ll quickly realize that each team member is different, and will have unique needs in how they may prefer to be communicated with.

Yearly activities – Taking a day to purely have fun and build memories as a team is incredibly important. Over the years, I have taken my team out for a day of golf, fishing, hiking, touring other businesses, white water rafting, high-speed go-cart racing, and more. Make sure you’re intentional, and that the goal of the day is to relax, recharge, and have a blast!

Structured meetings – Giving appropriate space and time to invite meeting attendees to openly and respectfully bring up topics that could lead to debate is healthy. It’s incredible how fast open communication can transform a business and strengthen a team.

Strategic planning – As always, making sure that there is a strategic plan, and that accountability to the plan is imperative. Working towards a common set of goals as a group will be both challenging and rewarding. Be sure to celebrate your wins, and learn from your losses.

There are many other tools that can help you get to know the leaders in your organization – these are just a few samples that have worked for me. You must find the right combination for your organization – and, if you need help, be sure to contact me.

- Coach Casey