Advocacy is closely related to the concept of trust. This article builds on the article on the concept of trust, and deals with being an advocate for your team. To read previous articles in this series, including the article on trust, follow this link.
A leader is a dealer in advocacy. If you want your team to go into battle with you in tough times, when the market is soft and competition is fierce, they need to know you have their back. If your team expects that you might hang them out to dry, their efforts will be safe and tame. If they know you will protect them from criticism and attacks from your upline, they will push the envelope and make courageous efforts. The greatest destroyer of trust is that you sit back and allow your upline to tear your team to shreds in front of them. You need to cover their backs – either exclude the team from these meetings and take the heat yourself, or be bold and defend them. Definitely not for sissies!
Are you guilty of exposing your team to unhelpful criticisms and attacks? Who do you need to shield them from? What can you do to shield them better? How can you advocate better on their behalf? With whom do you need to have a fireside chat about the negative impact their criticism and attacks has on your team? How do you intend having this conversation? Who can help you to prepare?
Answering these questions and implementing the suggestions requires a high level of self-awareness, and awareness of your impact – as the leader – on the team and its performance. It is always helpful to revisit the vision so that you can “play the ball and not the man”. Do you think you can do it? Let me know how it goes.
A leader is a dealer in advocacy. If you want your team to go into battle with you in tough times, when the market is soft and competition is fierce, they need to know you have their back. If your team expects that you might hang them out to dry, their efforts will be safe and tame. If they know you will protect them from criticism and attacks from your upline, they will push the envelope and make courageous efforts. The greatest destroyer of trust is that you sit back and allow your upline to tear your team to shreds in front of them. You need to cover their backs – either exclude the team from these meetings and take the heat yourself, or be bold and defend them. Definitely not for sissies!
Are you guilty of exposing your team to unhelpful criticisms and attacks? Who do you need to shield them from? What can you do to shield them better? How can you advocate better on their behalf? With whom do you need to have a fireside chat about the negative impact their criticism and attacks has on your team? How do you intend having this conversation? Who can help you to prepare?
Answering these questions and implementing the suggestions requires a high level of self-awareness, and awareness of your impact – as the leader – on the team and its performance. It is always helpful to revisit the vision so that you can “play the ball and not the man”. Do you think you can do it? Let me know how it goes.
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