One teammate plays for a scholarship, one for their dad, one for the fun. A good leader knows which is which.
LEADERSHIP
WHAT THIS MEANS
People sitting in the same room are usually there for different reasons, and the reason is what actually drives them. Treating everyone identically feels fair and often means speaking to nobody in particular, because the thing that moves one person slides straight off another. Knowing what someone is really here for is most of knowing how to help them.
Work out what each person around you is actually after, and if you cannot guess, ask. Then adjust what you say rather than repeating the same line to everybody. Fairness is giving each person what they need, not giving all of them the same sentence.
A QUESTION TO SIT WITH
Why does each person beside you actually show up?
MORE IN LEADERSHIP & INFLUENCE
- When the group chat catches fire, the leader isn’t the one with the best roast. It’s the one who suggests a call.
- Listen to how often you say “my team” versus “our team.” People hear the difference before you do.
- When the whole crew is hyped on a dumb idea, the bravest move is offering a better one that still sounds fun.
Free, with nothing to buy inside it.