Leading with Curiosuity
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“Our most important asset is our people.”
I hear that phrase a lot. In fact, I say it a lot. And I believe it.
While the phrase may sound a bit cliché, or a little too much like a tagline, I think about it differently.
I think it’s obvious.
What else could it possibly be?
If Twitter’s biggest asset is its network, who put the systems in place to make it grow?
If Instagram’s is its ability to show users relevant content, who built those algorithms?
And if Nike’s is its brand, who built it over years and years of great decision making?
Building A Company of Great People
The first step to building a company of great people is again, quite obvious: spend lots of time finding and attracting the right people- which is done with two equally important tasks:
Always be searching. For Reboot, even when we are not looking to fill immediate needs, we want to talk with as many driven people as possible that live at the intersection of sports and tech.
Always be selling. Not only are we always looking for great people, we are constantly thinking about how to put them in the best possible environment.
It is why we are clear with what we value and how we view compensation. And it was the impetus behind our newest perk- an internal incubator.
Following Through
But that is just step one.
After we 1) find the right people and 2) convince them to spend their days with us, we have to follow through by actually delivering the environment we promised- one that offers fulfilment, learning, and growth.
And, while ideals are great, our daily habits are what’s important.
That is why I was stopped dead in my tracks when I heard Carta founder and CEO Henry Ward detail his management style on Patrick O’Shaughnessy’s Invest Like the Best podcast.
I have had a view on the manager I want to be for years, but I was never able to explain it as succinctly as he did.
Now, after stealing from Henry Ward, I finally have my 5 goals for management:
Goal 1: Don’t push hard. People work harder for themselves.
While pushing hard may work short term, it won’t in the long run.
People work hard because they want to grow their skills and become better at their craft.
Yes, they likely also want to make an impact for the company they work for- but that only occurs after they 1) see a direct correlation between their work and business outcomes and 2) develop a trusting relationship with the rest of the team.
Goal 2: Practice autonomous management or micro management…and nothing in between.
90% of a manger’s focus should be on autonomous management. We hire people because we trust them to make the right decision and, more often than not, autonomy leads to a happier team that innovates at a quicker pace.
However, sometimes micro management is needed- because it isn’t really micro management.
When giving autonomy, there will be times people struggle. At that point, they may need a little extra coaching and a little extra help. It is a manager’s job to be available, knock down barriers, and get everyone to a point where autonomous management returns as the norm.
Goal 3: Make sure others know to come to you with a problem, not a solution.
Flipping the aphorism on its head, good leaders know they are there to solve problems.
If someone comes to you with a solution, it is likely they didn’t need you in the first place.
Rather, a servant leader is there specifically for problems that do not have an easy answer. They are there to help with the hard stuff.
Goal 4: Don’t get upset, get curious.
Unfortunately, giving a lot of autonomy may mean there are times when results dip below expectations. When that happens, getting upset won’t help.
In fact, getting upset adds to the problem- it hurts morale and it will be the only thing that person remembers…regardless of how many positive things they do.
Instead of getting upset, good leaders get curious. They ask:
Does the person in charge of the deliverable agree with the review? If they disagree, why?
If they do agree, why did we fall short? Was the task too hard? Was there too much else on their plate?
Figuring out these questions not only builds trust, but it gets to the actual issues that improve future outcomes.
Goal 5: Help, help, help, make a key decision, repeat.
Most of a servant leader’s day is spent helping others. This means a lot of time mentoring, tackling problems if and when they arise, building frameworks and processes that keep everyone rowing in the same direction, and more.
Then, only occasionally, a servant leader helps by making a key decision.
Being 1) an expert in the company’s big picture, 2) knowledgeable on the details, and 3) a trusted coach to to your team, allows a manager to always be ready when called upon.
The Person Behind the Person
A great coach judges themselves by how well the athletes and coaches they work with perform. They also take pride in how well those people do after they move on to a new role or new organization.
I want to hold myself to that same standard- where the most pride is felt seeing teammates excel, as well as seeing them grow their career, wherever it takes them.
Because if 5 lessons can be distilled down to 1, it would be:
Management is coaching.