The ‘Afterward’

As a leader, you are a vital link to the company.  You spend your day talking to people.  Leadership meetings, business reviews, phone calls and email.  You have a view of the company that your staff and colleagues may not see.  Your view is broader and longer; encompassing perspectives from the business, the corporate functions and top leadership.  What you see and understand has a direct impact on the projects and programs managed by your team and many others who work with you.

So what should you do after you’ve gained some new insight or learned some best practice? Share the information with your team.

One of the most important jobs a leader has to think about is the “afterward.”  When you learn something new and make a key connection between your responsibilities and the work of the company, do something with it.  Plan the “afterward.”  Make it a priority to teach others, to debrief, to share even the smallest insights after you get those insights.  The results are worth the effort:  engaged teams, confident decisions, alignment and commitment to success.

In my company, the CEO and his direct reports have quarterly discussions with small groups of team members to talk shop.  Recently, my lottery number came up and I was invited to join our CEO, along with 12 other team members, for breakfast.  I learned more about our strategy (and how my work supports that strategy) in those 60 minutes than I learned in 60 days of meetings!  Here’s the important part:  I talk about what I learned that day.  A lot.

What do you do with the connections you make… afterward?  Do you file it away?  Make notes for future reference?  Send thank you emails?  Ask follow up questions?  Do you take what you learn and tell others?  As a leader, you are responsible for bringing others along.  Take what you hear and share it with those in your sphere.