In today’s work and ministry culture we are connected with diverse teams. In our leadership we ought to know how to maximize such a team. J. Ofori Agboka is Vice President of People Experience & Technology for Amazon. He shares 5 quick tips to help lead such teams.
Words matter. What we say impacts the people we say them to. This is basic. But too often we neglect the basics. “Words,” Agboka says, “have the power to build a person up or break them down, and that impact is especially important when you’re a leader.” Pick your words wisely.
Investing in others is a business imperative. Makes no difference your business, investing in those in your organization (e.g. church) is necessary. You invest in others when you resource them. You invest in others when you give them time. You invest in others when you listen to them. You invest in others when you give them a chance and believe in them. When you, as the leader, invest in others, they will multiple that out.
Never forget what it’s like to be the only one. I believe all of us have had moments when we felt we were the only one. The only one who cared. Then only one who was giving a full effort. The only one that had faith. The only who felt alone. We need to remember those times in our leadership. Such memories can become fuel for us to help others.
Uncomfortable conversations are necessary to address bias. In order to understand others we must converse with them. We encounter people from various backgrounds, life stories, opinions, and perspectives. The only way we have any chance of finding common ground is to converse openly and honestly. We need to be willing to ask questions with a genuine motive of understanding.
Everyone has a position to play. We win together. Any person who has played a team sport understands this. It is in the diverse positions we play, giving maximum effort in our role, that the team wins. No one can be all things. Each one needs to be able to uncover meaning in their part of the organization. Ofori Agboka states it this way: “Your individual excellence leads to team excellence. Team excellence leads to functional excellence. Functional excellence leads to company excellence. We all win together.”
An adage, that has been attributed to several sources, says: When you see a turtle sitting on a fence post you know it needed help getting there. This is the underlying strength of Agboka’s five points. We all need help. We all function best in community.