Part 26: Build Support

No man is an island, or so the saying goes. Nor can any great idea be pulled off without a team.

If you have a big vision, or if you see a need for major change in your organization, before you do anything, make sure you have the support of the team.

A leader is someone who has people following him or her. A leader invests in those followers, to help them grow and achieve their potential. Whether or not you are the CEO or have any physical position of leadership really doesn’t matter. Motivating people, believing in them, and investing in them does.

There are many great resources on leading people; John Maxwell’s series of incredible books is a great place to start. However, here are a few keys to help you get started:

• Identify who is on your team. Who are the influencers in your group? Where are the get-it-done people? Do you have a good mix of both? If you have an imbalance, consider recruiting new members to help bring a diversity of ideas and a balance of skills to the team.
• Build them up. Showing interest in the personal dreams and goals of your team members will help strengthen their relationship with you. Actually helping make those dreams happen will build a kind of loyalty you can’t buy anywhere.
• Communicate your vision. And communicate, communicate, communicate. Tell your team your big idea, and tell them why. Why is it so important? Why they should the invest their energy and commitment? Get their feedback. Set goals, and communicate them. Post progress updates. When a deadline is missed, or something in the process fails, go to them for feedback and ideas. Communicate.

Are you building a new idea, or preparing for a big change? How are you keeping your team involved in the process?