At any good cookout, you always leave a little room for seconds!!! This also works in leading teams. “Seconds” in this case is not food… it’s your second team. Invest in these folks as they are the answer to the proverbial, “Who runs the business if you hit the lottery and leave?” Build a legacy of leaders. Here are some thoughts on activities and how this can impact success- both yours and theirs:
- Regular market meetings- (dial-in available) to discuss customer “buzz”. Short meetings (<30 minutes). No PowerPoint, just conversation with someone taking notes. Talk about what folks are hearing about upcoming procurements? What’s being done to shape those opportunities? What white papers does the team have in circulation? How’s the customer call plan working? Find out if/when you are needed to personally engage with a customer, a prime contractor, a COR, or a CO?
- Weekly business meetings- more tactical. Depending on your portfolio, try to keep this to <60 minutes and use a dashboard so all can see what metrics are important to you. Review the particulars (ex. contract financials, over runs/under runs, LOE burn, ETC’s, ODC’s, funding status, staffing issues, delivery deadlines, etc.). This reinforces trust and empowerment with accountability.
- Monthly one-on-ones- with each of the second team. Usually, breakfast or lunch. Schedule them out over 6 months and protect them on your calendar. If you need to reschedule, do it within the same month. Discuss whatever THEY want to discuss. Let this be THEIR TIME, not yours. Let them drive the agenda.
- When able, let them shadow you on customer office calls. Let them watch the flow and dynamics of the meeting. Help them learn how to define customer needs and leave a place holder for a follow-up visit.
- Many of us have “grown up” with several of our customers. We built relationships with juniors who grew to be senior organizational leaders and buyers of our services. Share and pass those relationships to your second team. Take them with you on an office call to one of your senior customer friends. Introduce them, work your meeting agenda, and let the customer know that your second team leader would be in touch for follow-up actions, if any. From there, let the relationship magic happen for your team member.
So, what are the payoffs?
- Your seconds become customer/industry savvy with growing relationships in the market.
- They become knowledgeable about your ENTIRE portfolio not just those pieces they oversee.
- Your seconds develop as a team and can support each other and offer alternative approaches in problem solving
- Your seconds will “give back” and develop a confident “third” team that can step in and further assist in business execution.
- The personal investment and individual focus on each of them was appreciated.
Costs: Time and meals
Go ahead, have “seconds”.
-Nate Copeland