We were not created to live in isolation. We are not expected to do things on our own. We cannot deliver as much by ourselves as we can with others.
We can only move mountains when we have a large team pushing in the same direction.
We need people to go in front of us to show us the way. Mentors, coaches, leaders. Who are the leaders you look to in each of the areas of your life? In your job? In parenting? In starting or running your own business? In living a Godly life? In being balanced and happy?
We need people to stand beside us. Trusted friends and acquaintances who will listen to us vent. Give the difficult advice we don’t want to hear. And hold us accountable to our goals. Spouses and business partners who believe in our dreams and do not talk us down.
We need people to follow us. To divide up the tasks that need to be done to achieve the goals. To believe in the mission and share in the challenge. If you are the PTA President, you need financial minds, organizers, communicators and do-ers to really meet the goals of your organization. If you are the President of a company, it should be obvious. If you are self-employed, you need clients who will trust you with your product or service. And even if you work in an environment where you do not have any direct reports, there are moments where you are the leader and need people to follow your lead in getting a job done.
We are not in this alone.
If you feel called to a large mission to change the world in your specific niche, whether that is a neighborhood block watch or the search for a cure for cancer, you cannot do it alone.
What happens when you choose the wrong people? It can make you so ineffective. A team member that needs more hand holding consumes a lot of time. You are only as strong as your weakest link. Hiring decisions are the most important ones you can make. Being too careful is not a concern. Interview and do your due diligence and be ready to make the hard call, say no, and trust that someone else is going to be led into your life for that position.
What happens when the wrong people choose you? Customers! Can’t live with them. Can’t live without them. There are customers who are more difficult and painful than others and you certainly just wish they would go away. Take inventory occasionally of your customers. Who are your most profitable customers and why? More than likely, the difficult customers either don’t know exactly what they want or your product or service does not match up exactly to their needs. Spending time to get to the bottom of this and telling them you cannot provide a solution for them may be the best business move you ever make. And how about in direct sales when you have a new associate join your team. It is strictly their decision to start their own new business. And teaching them to be empowered is key to everyone’s success. Some associates require more support than others but realistically, if they cannot do the job on their own, will they ever be the leader of a strong downline of their own?
What about conflict amongst the team? Everyone needs to ‘push in the same direction’. Conflict within the team can bring everything to a grinding halt. Sharpening your listening, motivating and negotiating skills is required to get beyond these challenges. Are you communicating your vision clearly enough for all to understand? Are the roles carved out in a way that does not compete with each other? Are the team members rational, stable, supportive and not limited by their own issues or beliefs?
What happens when your spouse is not on your team? I cannot even begin to go there in this blog post as that is a deep, deep subject. But certainly if your spouse is not on your team, it presents an enormous set of challenges towards your mission.
People decisions are the most difficult you will ever make. So choose carefully whom you decide to keep close by your side. And take the time to cement those relationships so they stand through the thick and thin. In the end, relationships are what really matter.
