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Dreaming of leading empowered teams that crush their goals and dance to the rhythm of success?
In my experience, it all starts with responsibility…
Responsibility is a big deal. Yes, it can be a scary prospect; the idea that you’re accountable for the outcome, that the buck stops with you. But there’s something incredibly empowering in that too. Because you’re not powerless. You’re not a bystander. You’re in the driver’s seat, able to steer things in the direction you want them to go.
For empowered teams, we need to go beyond that. We need to create a space of shared responsibility, or 'co-responsibility'.
Fridhjon writes:
“This notion of co-responsibility is both sobering and empowering. It’s sobering since you always bear some responsibility for what has happened—empowering because you have always the possibility to influence the system.”
Co-responsibility is like a dance, with all parties taking 100% of the responsibility for what is happening.
In the words of Kimsey-House:
“Co-Active Leaders Beside is like a masterful dance with both parties leaning in 100 percent and each very sensitive to the direction of the other. In this dance, both leaders balance 100 percent commitment with complete humility, being willing to take the lead or follow each in each moment.
This dance requires trust – letting go of the reins. There’s an inner control freak in all of us, a perfectionist who craves order and predictability. Fight that urge. Instead, define what success looks like to you, and then empower your team to determine the best way to reach that finish line.
Here’s a few tools for your toolbox:
1) Design your relationship: Don’t just focus on the goals. Think about the relationship itself. Create a container, an alliance, of shared responsibility. Ask questions like, what kind of environment do you want to create? What would make this team thrive? What expectations and responsibilities are you each bringing to the table?
2) Bring values to life: They might not be tangible, but values play a pivotal role in guiding our decisions and behavior. They represent the guardrails in which those decisions and behaviors should take place. Make them a cornerstone of your leadership approach. When values are clear, decisions are easy.
3) Get out of your way: It’s time to conquer those inner demons – the desire for perfection, the need for control, the tendency to play the victim. Take a long, hard look at yourselves. Start with awareness – take this free assessment and invite your team to do the same. Afterward, discuss your dominant tendencies. Get to know each other’s reactive behaviors, so you don’t stand in your own way.
Stepping into a leadership role is about taking responsibility. Working towards empowered teams is about introducing shared responsibility.