SmartPulse — our weekly nonscientific reader poll in SmartBrief on Leadership — tracks feedback from more than 190,000 business leaders. We run the poll question each week in our e-newsletter.
Last week, we asked: How well do you take to being “just a team member” and working alongside your team?
- Very well — I easily transition into the role of team member: 58.76%
- Well — sometimes I transition easily but other times I’m challenged: 34.4%
- Not well — I have difficulty changing my mindset and being a team member: 5.77%
- Poorly — I actively resist situations where I have to work alongside my team: 1.07%
Welcome to the team. It’s easy to forget what it’s like to be a team member when you spend most of your days leading that team. If you have difficulty stepping into a team role and letting someone else lead, you’re missing out on a great opportunity. There are huge benefits to regularly assuming a team member role including better understanding the work your team does and building stronger relationships with the members of the team. So every once in a while, free yourself of the mantle of leadership, roll up your sleeves, and join the team.
Mike Figliuolo is managing director of thoughtLEADERS and author of “One Piece of Paper: The Simple Approach to Powerful, Personal Leadership.”
