No one succeeds alone. When teams come together, truly working together, sharing their skills and passion, in pursuit of a shared objective their collective energy creates results far beyond the ability of individuals working separately.
As leaders, it is our responsibility to get our ego, pride, and hidden agendas out of the way so that we can build and inspire our team to create good, collective energy.
So, once you’ve set aside your behaviors that inhibit collective energy, how can you then tap into this energy in your team?
Feed their passion
We all want to find meaning in our work, to make a valuable contribution to something important. People find energy in their passions, this energy is compounded when you identify and feed the passion of your team. Give them something to believe in; something worth collaborating for, something worth giving their all for and you will tap into the collective energy of your team.
Tap into their experience
Everyone has something unique to offer. People want to be challenged and given the opportunity to use their specific skills and knowledge to meet the demands of those challenges. When you tap into the experience of individual team members while bringing them together in pursuit of a shared goal, you are tapping into the collective energy of your team.
Show them respect
What do your employees desire more than anything else? They want to be valued and respected. When you show respect for your employees, you show them that you have confidence in their abilities, that you value their contributions, and that you trust their judgment. If you want to tap into the collective energy of your teams, you must show them respect on both and individual and a team level.
Share the leadership
A team is not a hierarchical machine; it is a living organism where roles and leadership are in a constant state of flux. An employee with a great attitude might serve best as the leader when the team becomes frustrated. Other employees may lead at different times based on the requirements of the current task. Another employee might have the organization and planning skills necessary to lead the initial planning process. You will tap into the collective energy of your team when you allow leaders to emerge naturally when their strengths meet the immediate needs of the team.
Tap into Your Team’s Collective Energy
As a leader, it is your responsibility to make sure your team is working well together. The most successful leaders tap into the collective energy of their teams and create environments where everyone feels engaged and valued.
Each team member is an expert in something; they each serve an important purpose. Feed their passion. Tap into their experience. Show them respect. And, share the leadership. When a team brings their collective energy together and focuses on a shared objective, the results of the team will by far surpass the potential of each individual working alone.