Knowing that a group of team members want the same thing, but are coming at it from completely different directions can be really frustrating. Am I right? Someone is talking about funding while someone else talking about team structure and a third talking about process. All of these topics are important, but when having conversations like this, the purpose and goals can be overshadowed by the topics and language used. Being a leader is having the ability to recognize these moments and help teams navigate their way through them smoothly through enablement and mentorship.
Ask questions
This is the most important aspect. Many people have the right answers inside of them, they just need help getting them out. These questions help teams focus on one thing at a time, allow them to rebuild their mental models and therefore the overall solutions from the bottom-up. Breaking the conversation down into its atomic state and answer one thing at a time through consensus building.
Provide information
Making sure the team has the most relevant information to ensure they are having the right conversations and making the best decisions within a clear and understood context. Teams are dealing with all the knowns and the unknowns, so as a leader it is critical to recognize those situations and be forthcoming with information. This will help to steer conversations and give teams the best chance to make the best decisions.
Direct when needed
And sometimes teams just need a little more of a push. Providing explicit direction can help when a team can’t see their way through. When added with the thought process of why, these can be an additional form of mentorship.
All of this is to make progress and building the things that provide business value. However, when approaching situations like this with a leadership mentality you are not just helping now, you are helping the future as well. Seeing the evolution and growth of a team can be one of the most satisfying experiences out there for a true leader; knowing someone(s) can do something without you because of you and what you gave them.