Individualize Your Approach

Leadership is not just about checking off the boxes on a project plan but connecting on multiple levels. Take the time to invest in your people and get to know them as an individual.

In the ever-evolving business landscape, a one-size-fits-all leadership model no longer works. Leaders should tailor their approach to the unique needs and strengths of each team member, similar to pilots landing their aircraft.  No two landings are viewed as the same due to various factors such as visibility, wind, runway length, landing weight, obstructions, etc. Similarly, your employees should not be viewed as the same because they are individuals.  

Leaders who master this can inspire their teams to greater heights of innovation and collaboration. Like pilots adjusting based on flight conditions, leaders should not be afraid to shift tactics—whether through mentoring, coaching, or adjusting their communication style—to ensure that each team member can thrive.

Here are a few ideas for individualizing your approach:

Be Curious: What motivates each team member? What are their career aspirations? What challenges do they face? How do they like to be recognized (public or private?) Asking questions opens the door to understanding their unique personalities.  (For more insights, revisit our article, Be A Curious Leader.)

Listen Actively: Encourage team members to listen and share their thoughts, concerns, and ideas. Know their communication styles, preferred feedback methods, and work preferences.  The most valuable insights come from attentive ears.

Understand Your Team Members: Some thrive with autonomy, while others thrive with regular check-ins. Toss out any rulebook you think you need to follow. Instead, write guidelines that consider your team's unique needs. 

Recognize Strengths: Everyone brings something special to the table. Identify each team member’s strengths and leverage and tailor tasks accordingly.  Your team members will thrive!

Celebrate Uniqueness: As you learn how each employee works, what they need, and what motivates them, you’ll uncover hidden talents. Acknowledge these strengths—they might not even be aware of them until you do.  Talk about sparking motivation in an employee! 

The benefits of individualizing your style are many, from enhancing employee satisfaction, improved engagement, higher morale, better communication, and increased trust, to reducing conflict. When the employee feels seen and heard as an individual, the team comes together as a result of a deep understanding of each other.   

As leaders, we often find ourselves immersed in the hustle—the urgent tasks, the looming deadlines, the relentless pursuit of goals. But we need to pause and recalibrate our compass.

So, let’s individualize our leadership approach and foster environments where employees can thrive!

Explore our one-on-one and skip-level templates! These tools are excellent for engaging your team members. Both templates, along with a decision matrix, are now available. Visit our store to get started.