Unlocking horizontal leadership

No one told him to do it, but it was such a brilliant expression of leadership.One of my favorite things to see on a baseball field is not something you’d ever expect.If I gave you 162 guesses, I’m absolutely certain you’d never guess it.It’s not a grand slam. It’s not a triple. It’s not a bunt to an undefended part of the infield that results in a double.It’s not a triple play or a no hitter.It’s when one batter makes an out, but then whispers in the ear of the next batter to share some insight about what they should be looking for.I love it because in moments like these, players become coaches to their teammates.I ran a leadership cohort for 8 years and each year there would be this magical moment when students would stop talking to me during a discussion and start talking to one another. One student would share an opportunity or obstacle they were navigating and the others students would offer their insights directly to help them win.The information didn’t need to flow through me anymore. I was just a delighted observer.If all the coaching is flowing from you – “the leader” – down to your team, there is a wealth of information and insight that is being wasted. Not to mention time.Encourage your people to look for answers horizontally before they go vertical and knock on your door.TRY THIS:Practice these simple behaviors in the meetings you run:1. When someone has an issue or question that doesn’t require your exclusive insight or feedback, hold on a beat or two before answering. Give others in the room a chance to chime in.2. If no one else chimes in, try asking, “who else has run into something like this before?”My free PDF, “The 5 Secrets of Impossibly Effective Teams,” will show you the simple leadership moves that help teams unlock their full potential and deliver outsized results—without burning out. Grab your copy now at geoffwelch.com/secrets