How to Lead a Team Unseen PT. 2: Where are we going?

Welcome back! At the end of last year, I had the awesome opportunity to talk about how to facilitate an environment that fosters healthy and excited serve team members and raises up new leaders. You should definitely check that piece out if you haven’t already! Though this blog is written in the context of someone working in full-time ministry, I truly believe this advice applies to all of us - whether you’re a manager, director, or simply trying to work amongst a team that could use some direction at your own workplace. 

So today, as a follow up to that blog, I want to dive into some bite-sized thoughts on giving direction and feedback to your “unseen” team...and really any team for that matter. With that, welcome to Part 2- Where are we going? Questions and answers!

Where are we going?

I’m an Apple Maps guy. When I’m trying to get somewhere, I need the address. Please don’t give me landmarks because I’ll get lost every time! The way I interpret landmarks may be different than you remember. To get where I need to go, I need a clear target and unseen teams need that, too!

Directions ≠ landmarks.

Fun fact: if you look at the definition of the word “direction,” from Cambridge to Webster’s Dictionary, nowhere will you find landmarks as a characteristic, synonym, or definition of direction. Huh! Makes you think. 

Here’s an example from my own environment and one that might work for you, too. “I want the music to sound good at church” is a landmark. To be fair, it is a great goal after all. Sadly, it can be interpreted in so many ways that you probably won’t achieve what you really want. On the other hand, “I want to be able to hear each instrument in the mix, focusing more on dynamic range and less on compression via active mixing” gives specific instruction. 

To the rest of us, that may sound like a whole bunch of word salad. But to a sound engineer, that is clear, actionable direction. That’s my job - to speak clearly and kindly to my team as I give them directions. If you take the time to give good directions, your team will thank you, be set for their journey, and will have a better chance of not getting lost along the way!

We did a thing!

If giving direction is at one end of the spectrum, then feedback is at the other end. After we do anything, there should be time dedicated to celebration and introspection. Feedback, constructive criticism, whatever you want to call it, oftentimes has a negative stigma around it. As leaders, we have a responsibility to contextualize what good feedback is and what it isn’t. Every time I train a new creative team member, I dedicate a portion of time specifically on giving feedback and how feedback should and will look. I let my team members know that giving notes means I’m already thinking about the future and that’s good...because I’m seeing them in that picture! Not only that, I’m visualizing our team excelling even more than before. The difference between the two is what I’m trying to discover… that's feedback!

Questions and Answers

How do we actually give good feedback? I say, ask good questions! Any time we do a thing I ask and answer these four questions: 

What went right?

Start by celebrating and protecting the wins. What did we do really well? What helped us get there? How do we do that again? Clearly answering and expressing the areas where we excel affords us time to recognize each other and create consistent wins.

What went wrong?

Where did we outright flub? What did we try to do and fail? What caused this? What can we do to turn this into a win next time? Knowing where we fell short gives us an opportunity to grow. We all make mistakes. What separates us is in our response.

What was missing?

What came at us out of left field? What didn’t we plan for? What could have made this better? What didn’t we know? What should we have known? Hindsight is 20/20, so use that as an opportunity to plan and make what you do even better next time! 

What was confusing?

What slowed us down? What wasn’t clear? Why was there confusion? How could we clarify or simplify? Guess what? Sometimes the answers to these questions point back to us as leaders. How we come to terms with this and how we take responsibility will model the culture of leadership for your team. Make sure you nail this!

By doing these things, we own what’s ours in a Christlike way. We become an example and watch as our team grows to respect and follow us at a greater level!

You’ve also created a fantastic opportunity to brainstorm with your team and include them in solving the puzzle! Here’s a bonus: if something can be owned by a team member, ask them to help you. At the end of all this, your team will walk away with greater ownership and clearer directions to get them where they’re going. For this roadmap, they will thank you and truly enjoy being called part of the team!