As our time in a hybrid work environment has gone on, I’ve had to be much more intentional about staying connected with my team. I was always a “walking around” kind of leader whenever I could make the time. There’s no better way to get a sense of how the team is feeling than to walk the floor and have casual conversations. You discover lots of really interesting things that way, and many people are more apt to share concerns or observations in a situation that isn’t prescribed or otherwise wrapped in formality.
One way that I’ve found to help fill the gap from the loss of the “walking around” method is to put more focus on the simple concept of TILT. Easy to say, easy to remember, and evocative of “tilt your actions in favor of others.”
TILT stands for Thank, Inspire, Learn, and Teach, and you should endeavor to hit each of these at least once a day with your team and customers.
Thank
Show appreciation. Thank at least one team member or colleague per day for something they’ve done to make the world better. This is not a “hey, thanks for replying to my email” level of thanks. This is taking the time to be specific, letting the other person know that you noticed their work and that it’s appreciated. If you can, share a little context that they may be unaware of about how their actions have made a difference.
Inspire
Part of your job as a leader is to inspire your team toward achieving something larger than themselves. Different people take inspiration from different things, so this one is a little tougher to do regularly. You have to put some thought into it. Your goal is to do something every day that provides inspiration to at least one member of your team. It doesn’t have to be huge - it could be as simple as praising someone’s performance on a task, celebrating someone going above and beyond to solve a problem, or finding a way to highlight how someone’s work is making a difference to the larger mission of the team or company. If the person walks away feeling good about something they’ve worked on or contributed to, and is energized to keep surpassing and raising the bar, you’ve nailed it.
Learn
Successful leaders are always learning. If you stop learning you will atrophy as a leader and eventually fade away. You should try to learn one new thing every singe day, not only for yourself but for the benefit of your team. The more you are curious and engaged in extending the breadth of your knowledge the more it will rub off on your team. I find that this is easier to achieve on a daily basis if you do things that will naturally expose you to new ideas - reading varied sources, participating in communities, even taking some time to go down a YouTube rabbit hole or two.
Teach
Teaching is core to developing your team and is a critical success factor for any leader. Try to teach something every singe day. If you pay attention you’ll find that there are lots of opportunities every day to share knowledge with your team, peers, direct reports, and even your boss! Don’t force it, but keep your eyes open for openings to build knowledge and context.
I can’t promise that if you do these four things every day that you’re going to become a great leader, but for me the simple act of being intentional about them has made me feel more connected to those I work with. There’s never a bad time to TILT!
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