Connecting with your team as a leader

You’re a manager and lead a team. How do you connect with individuals and create an open, healthy communication? This is quite brilliant on the topic…

“Every year when we left California he made index cards for us. He wrote down every phone number where he might possibly be reached and taped a dime next to each number. After we got back to Tennessee I would peel the dimes off the cards and spend them. My sister saved the cards just the way they were. She still has them, dimes and all, one from every year.”

This is by the American writer, Ann Patchett, talking about her father. Her parents divorced when she was 4 and after her mother moved from LA to Tennessee, she then only saw her father for 2 weeks every summer.

It describes being a parent who’s gone that extra mile to be thoughtful, imaginative and create resources for their kid. If their kid needs to talk, they know what to do and they have information they need to get hold of their father. He's not right there but he's there when he's needed. They feel supported.

And honestly, just how touching and heartfelt is this? When I read it I welled up and then read it aloud to my husband, who was reading next to me.

And yes, being a parent isn’t being a leader but there are some big overlaps.

Being a good leader is about being thoughtful and imaginative and creating resources for your team.

🟥 Do they know where to reach you and in this day and age on which platform when?
🟨 Do they know when they can do this to quickly run something by you or to have a longer conversation?
🟦 Do they feel like you, as their leader, have their back?

As Ann and her sister show, not every team member will prize this in the same way, but giving every team member this gift means you’re building value into your relationship and showing that you value them.

And that makes a great leader.