Challenging the way we lead and sponsoring the right people
I am saddened to hear that we still have leaders that continue to lead behind closed doors and direct orders in boardrooms quashing the voices of the people around them.
When we encourage people to share their knowledge and their vision, we create a space that enables people to thrive and prosper. Likewise, our knowledge is best to be shared so that we can develop and upskill those around us - our people.
Knowledge has value only when shared, it lifts those around you and gives purpose to who you are and the person that others want to become. If you are leading a team, a company, or a business your primary role is to empower and educate your team, ensuring that you develop and lift the standards of your business and the people within it. If you do anything short of that you are failing the company, its board, its investors and more importantly all the people whom you are leading and seeking respect from.
For clarity, my suggestion to share knowledge is not about “drip feeding”, I am asking that you create a plan and establish a timeline that is effective in ensuring that all knowledge is passed down, passed on so that you can focus on what you need to do next; Sponsor others around you so that a path forward is created for the future champions of the business.
Recently, I was at a WILS Summit and Nell Wilson shared this terminology “Sponsorship” and it dawned on me how powerful that was. This is the most valuable gift we could give to our people and to those who shine within our teams. It is something that we don’t do enough of and when it is done, men do it much better than women.
To explain it “sponsorship” is a way in which we can champion the cause of a fellow colleague, or someone with our team etc. When we sponsor someone, we empower them and also advocate for them. We say that we are prepared to back them as we believe in them. We support them to achieve their goals, especially when we know they can do it ….and do it well.
How many of you know someone that can do a job that has become vacant but hold back from sponsoring them for the job? I encourage you to have a voice and speak up, step up and put their name forward. Champion this practice and create opportunities for others, especially when you know that they are the best person for the role.
It is our duty as a leader to make sure that the best candidate is given the opportunity to be seen. A note to the businesses that have a male-heavy leadership team, ensure you have the best candidates considered for the job rather than someone who is like-minded or a friend. You want people to challenge the norm and disrupt the way things have always been done to better serve your growth and potential as a company and as individuals. Having a diverse team produces creativity and leads to more effective and efficient solutions.
Welcome challenges and disruption and strengthen your leadership skills by enabling others to follow in your footsteps. Seek out experts in the areas you know can provide heightened skills as this will show that you too are keen to learn and are open to development.
For those of you with partners, children, grandchildren, parents I ask you to look at your business and its people like you would your family. Share your fears, your knowledge and bring onboard experts that will enable you to achieve the best outcome in the shortest timeframe to achieve your goals and your purpose.
If we all embraced our business and its people like family, we would achieve so much more.