Leaders who have done an exceptional job of building and developing a high-performing team often reflect upon their role going forward.
In the best of cases, they find themselves as the least skilled people on the team. As the talent and experience of team members evolve, thanks to wise tutelage, a leader can admit that the people below them are better than they are. For those leaders with egos in check, this is a happy and rewarding moment.
So, what comes next?
The reward for successfully developing and nurturing high talent usually means the leader is ready to replicate this work with another team. Utilizing their skills to create another high-performing team elsewhere in the organization is worth gold to the enterprise’s ultimate success.
Forging a high-performing team is no easy task. Leaders who have the qualities to do so are both rare and invaluable. Great organizations never squander the potential flourishing of another team, so they quickly put the team leader to work elsewhere.
But how does a leader know when the team is ready to fly without them? What indicates that a team has reached such levels of proficiency that a leader can feel free to apply their skills elsewhere?
One idea is this simple question: How comfortable would the leader be to actually report to one of the existing team members? Hypothetically speaking, could the leader envision serving as a team member and reporting to one or more of the individuals they have groomed and developed?
If the answer is No, and not for reasons of self-interest, there is more work to be done with the existing team. Even with an open mindset, the objective reality may be “not yet.” In this case, the best team leaders focus on what stands in their way of being comfortable with such a switch in roles. If the answer is Yes, it is likely past time to move on and replicate such a team elsewhere in the organization.
The question itself contains a powerful lesson for team leaders. When a leader accepts the idea, at least in their head, that they could easily report to a team member, they inadvertently project a respect and admiration for the team that is hard to duplicate.
The very question and answer to this question often changes the way the team leader engages the team. The mutual respect that results from this recognition can be felt by every team member and, in turn, further solidifies the bond of the team.
In cases where a leader is nowhere near accepting such a reporting line, the answer helps to create a blueprint for action about what it would take to get there. That focus and learning can prove invaluable for making progress with team development. What stands in the way of such an idea is often illuminating.
Some questions are worth asking for the impact they have on how we see things. Asking whether you could report to one or more of your existing team members is such a question. Why not ask and learn from it?
