"We went as colleagues; we came back as a strong team."
As a partner in a consulting firm, my work is all about growth. More revenue, more clients, more impact. But while I'm always keen on that, I noticed that sometimes my team didn't have the same speed. They were working hard, but it felt like they were mostly executing what we, the partners, came up with. Pro-activity was a bit on the low side.
When Blue Lantern offered me the opportunity to go to Alaska with my team, my first thought was, Isn't this too soft? A few days in nature? But at the same time, I knew something had to be done. Not because I needed it so much myself, but because I wanted my team to become stronger. To take more responsibility. Also started to see opportunities. Start thinking more like entrepreneurs. So we got on a plane.
Alaska: Outside your comfort zone, in your power
Alaska forces you to look at things differently. Everything there is raw and pure. No conference tables, no dashboards, just you, your team and the elements. On day one, I thought, Nice, a physical challenge. But soon I realized it wasn't about the physical effort, it was about the mental shift.
During one of the assignments, we were asked a simple question: what is really holding you back as a team? I was expecting some vague answers, but then one of my team members spoke up: "We don't always feel like we have room to participate in decisions." Bam. That came in.
What I learned in Alaska is that team spirit is not created by working harder, but by listening better. By giving the space I always grab as an entrepreneur myself. And by not just demanding responsibility, but giving it. During the journey, I noticed that my team members were much more entrepreneurial than I thought - they just needed the space to show it.
Back in the office, our collaboration has changed. The ideas and initiatives now come more often from the team, instead of everything having to come from us as partners. They are taking ownership. And honestly? That not only produces more growth, but also makes my job a lot easier.
As a manager, if you think your team could be more entrepreneurial, I can only say one thing: put them in an environment where they can't be otherwise. Alaska did that for us.
LAURENS VAN ROSSUM, DEVENTER
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