Business managers, are you ready to catch some new thermals? Just like in hang gliding, where you rely on the elements and your instincts to soar, in the business world you have an untapped resource that can LIFT your employees’ development: Crowd-Sourced Leadership.
Crowd-sourcing usually refers to pooling knowledge from a large group, often online. Imagine applying that principle to your team, turning them into your very own updraft of wisdom and leadership. That’s crowd-sourced leadership.
You can do it at your meetings, for example. It’s a game-changer! Your employees will invest emotionally and intellectually when they have a say in piloting the course. You get a diversity of thought with all the perspectives and approaches they bring to the table. That can yield creative solutions to old problems. And most importantly, by co-piloting the team, individuals reveal previously obscured leadership abilities. Your whole organization benefits!
Here are some suggestions on how to apply crowd-sourced leadership at your team meetings:
- Create a safe airspace for open communication for employees to spread their leadership wings.
- Rotate the pilot seat – let a different member take control and guide each meeting.
- Set air traffic rules to keep interactions clear and constructive.
- Encourage the “if I were the boss” mentality, and expand on others’ ideas to gain momentum.
- If the agenda is “overtaking competition,” ask everyone to prepare solution ideas beforehand.
- Review the meeting outcomes in your post-flight analysis.
- Celebrate and learn from the adventure.
Implementing crowd-sourced leadership will give everyone a chance to be the pilot, not just a passenger. This approach not only provides LIFT to your team but elevates your entire organization. By empowering your employees, you’re giving them the wings they need to make the company soar. You haven’t peaked yet!