Growth for the Team Member – The Journey to Wisdom
Part II in our three-part series, “Wisdom Is a Journey – The Leader’s Shift from Me to Team”: Fostering environments that encourage learning, mistakes, and, ultimately, growth.
In Part I of this series, we discussed a major shift: Great leaders act as learning role models, but that’s only the beginning. The real test of leadership is not how much the leader learns but how well leaders help others reach their potential.
Your Environment Determines Your Growth
Environments shape behavior. When the environment rewards correctness, people defend themselves to remain right. When it rewards learning—when there is a growth mindset—people aim to improve. Leaders influence that environment mostly through subtle responses rather than formal commands, such as quick corrections, dismissive reactions, or silence. Over time, these signals teach people to play it safe, and growth ceases.
Shifting from Judgment to Curiosity
Curiosity can shape how people learn. Shifting from the judgmental “Why did you do that?” to the transformational “Help me understand your thinking” shows respect by fostering dialogue, promoting ownership, and turning everyday moments into learning opportunities.
Reinforcing Systems Help Direct Behavior
Culture isn’t created by intention alone; it relies on reinforcing systems. When growth is the goal, these systems must support individual development through:
- Feedback that is frequent and forward-looking
- Meetings that invite input, not just updates
- Recognition that values process improvement, not just outcomes
- Responsibility that focuses on learning, not blame
When the process isn’t reinforced, we develop an outcomes-focused approach that can lead to shortcuts that undermine long-term success. Without reinforcing systems, even strong leaders may revert to a style that emphasizes control. With these systems, growth remains steady and scalable.
The Payoff: Team Members Who Think
When the environment is right, team members start to think independently. They share ideas, question assumptions, take responsibility, and keep improving. The leader is no longer the sole source of answers. Instead, the team becomes the driver of progress. This marks the shift from Me to Team.
Daily Test for Leaders
At the end of each day, a leader can ask:
- Did I build team member confidence?
- Did I demonstrate curiosity with challenges?
- Was I transformational or transactional in my leadership?
Next – Part III in the Series on the Journey to Wisdom
In “Creating a Learning Organization,” we will examine how open and honest conversations about an organization’s needs—rather than a focus on team members’ shortcomings—help it evolve and become smarter.