Muhammad Dilawar’s Post

"I gave my team everything they needed and plenty of time, and even broke the task down for them, and still they didn't meet my expectations." There's a very good chance I've said these words — every first-time manager probably does! — but hearing them from someone else, with a few years of leadership behind me now, my reaction was immediate: you need to trust your team, and you need to show your team you trust them. Breaking down tasks and providing templates and examples and removing any sense of urgency *seems* helpful, but it can be tremendously disempowering, the opposite of what you want. Purpose, autonomy, and mastery (see Drive by Daniel H. Pink) are the things that motivate people, not todo lists. Figure out how to approach delegation with these in mind, and prepare for much better results.

Being a transformational leader, you should know your team clearly. Not just their names and titles, but to know the whole person (Head, Heart, and Hands). 1). Cognitive abilities and qualifications, that the persons bring to the team. Thinking happens at the HEAD. 2). Personality, personal attributes, their passion and what moves them. Commitment happens at the HEART. 3). Proficiency, competencies, skills, experiences. Work happens at the HANDS.

As a leader, you want a high-performing team. So don't say... 🚫 "I'm the boss!" 🚫 "There's no time to show you how." 🚫 "I just need you to follow directions." 🚫 "Because that's not going to work anyway." 🚫 "And I'm really just too busy right now." 🚫 "Besides, this is how we've always done it." And when there is a negative result: "I'm so disappointed in you!" Your words carry so much power. They lift up, inspiring your team. They create a supportive, collaborative environment, where each person's ideas and experiences are valued. They empower. Or they put down, creating an environment of doubt or fear. When you use the above phrases, you: • demotivate everyone • crush creativity and ideas • dismiss concerns and worries • create a culture of quiet quitters So instead, say... ✅ "I'm here to help!" ✅ "Let's figure this out." ✅ "Because I trust you." ✅ "So how can we make this work?" ✅ "I'll clear some time in my schedule." ✅ "We can always find ways to improve." And when there is a negative result: "It's my fault!" PS. Have you ever heard someone using these phrases at work? 🔔 Follow Chris Cotter for more on #leadership.

If the team you have surrounded yourself with were recruited with the right skills and competency’s necessary to do the job, and they are not performing, it’s the leadership team that needs attention. There are 2 primary reasons why people do or do not perform well in their roles. Ability or attitude. If they don’t have the ability you need to develop them. If they don’t have the attitude you need to inspire them. If they have the ability and no matter what you do they have a poor attitude, you need to know when to stop being the saviour of lost souls. BUT, before you give up on your colleagues please make sure that they have all they need to do well, the skill, the will, the motivation and the tools to succeed. HOWEVER, if a colleague is not contributing positively and you can tick all the boxes needed to facilitate their success, move them on at pace! And don’t hold on to a toxic employee until you can replace them - it’s better to have a hole in you team than an arsehole in your team! So, to the positive ‘can do’ people out there, I salute you! Onwards and upwards 👍

How to Lead When You're Not in Charge. 1-Lead through influence, not just authority. 2-Focus on adding value wherever you are. 3-Take responsibility for your personal growth. 4-Embrace humility and serve others. 5-Develop strong self-discipline and self-awareness. 6-Be proactive; don’t wait for permission to act. 7-Build strong relationships based on trust. 8-Challenge the status quo constructively. 9-Stay positive and uplift your team. 10-Understand your boss’s goals and help them succeed. 11-Learn to motivate others without formal power. 12-Find ways to contribute beyond your role. 13-Listen actively and value other people’s input. 14-Set an example through hard work and dedication. 15-Always think about how you can better support your team and organization.

𝘿𝙤 𝙖𝙨 𝙄 𝙨𝙖𝙮, 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙄 𝙙𝙤 … In my career I’ve encountered many team leaders who believed this. Their teams were DISENGAGED and DEMOTIVATED. As a leader, your actions carry significant weight and influence the behaviour of your teams. 𝗦𝗼, 𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲… ✅ Demonstrate the values, work ethic, and dedication you expect from your team ✅ Show genuine enthusiasm and passion for your work ✅ Take ownership of your actions and admit your mistakes ✅ Be approachable and actively support your team members ♦️ 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝘆 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 👉 Promoting a strong sense of trust, openness and credibility 👉 Inspiring your team to share the same level of commitment 👉 Fostering a culture of accountability and responsibility 👉 Helping to build a supportive and collaborative environment 👉 Creating a positive and high-performing work culture ❗Remember … ♦️ When employees feel that their leader is genuinely invested in their growth and success… 👉 They are more likely to be ENGAGED and MOTIVATED to contribute their best efforts. 📩 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽, 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗽 𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜’𝗹𝗹 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀

Read this if you're a woman leader struggling with team performance. How many times have you thought to yourself: ➡ "My team needs a complete overhaul" ➡ "We keep missing our targets" ➡ "I have a 'bad' team" You're missing the point. It isn't about needing a "new/ better/ different/ more skilled..." team. ✅ It's about using what you already have. Right now. ✅ Your team has untapped strengths. ✅ It's your job to use them. Whether you're a new manager. Mid-level Director. C-Suite Leader. And you can bring out the best in them. I guarantee you... The great teams you look up to didn't just happen by chance. They grew, little by little, day by day. The "amazing leaders" you see... they're not magic. They just started using their team effectively sooner. You? Start today, my friend. 💪 Your team's breakthrough is waiting. Don't wait another day to begin. PS: You don't need a better team. You can generate better performance from your existing team.

Learn when to say NO

Stepping into leadership means that you're not just responsible for your own work but also for guiding a team towards success 📈 And that can feel overwhelming. When I became a manager for the first time, I faced this challenge head-on. It taught me a valuable lesson about the power of understanding each team member's unique needs. I lead a very diverse team from different backgrounds, countries, and personalities. So I realized very quickly - a one-size-fits-all approach wouldn't cut it. I had to learn about each person's feelings, motivations, and goals to create a productive and supportive environment. Personal engagement was key. I began to see the depth of each team member by: 📌 Having open conversations 📌 Observing interactions 📌 Showing a genuine interest in their lives I adapted my support and leadership style to suit every individual. Leveraging their strengths, and supporting their personal growth made a huge difference. Some of the results were: ❤️ Stronger and honest relationships 📈 Improved performance as each team member was motivated to contribute their best 🤝 It created a supportive culture of growth ✅ Significantly improved team morale and job satisfaction Leading people is an intricate art. It's about understanding differences, nurturing potential, and creating an environment where everyone can thrive. When you go beyond just meeting targets and truly support your team, you achieve shared success and grow together. Share how you recognise your team’s individual needs in the comments 👇

Recently, I asked someone what their management style is, and they were taken aback because this is not something most managers/leaders give conscious thought to. Are you a micro manager? Do you give your team ownership and back them up? Do you set goals for the team, and support them Having learnt from a variety of managers and their mistakes, I have always given this a lot of thought. When I managed my first team, I remember googling "how to be a good boss" - of course the articles all said the same 5 things, but over the years I have learnt that a good leader empowers their team to achieve their potential, is kind and understanding while also being firm and critical, offers constructive feedback regularly, and most importantly, fights for what they believe in, gives credit where deserved, and takes the fall for the team. I'd love to know some qualities you all believe make a good manager/leader, let me know in the comments