I’m currently on holiday and had the chance to spend a leisurely couple of hours at a beautiful aquarium.
As I wandered through the exhibits, my mind started drawing parallels between what I was seeing and what I often see in workplaces.
Here’s what I noticed:
- The big fish glided effortlessly through the water, surrounded closely by a school of smaller fish. Were the others following a strong leader by choice, or simply so dependent that they couldn’t navigate on their own? Was this a healthy dynamic?
- The seals vanished from view for what felt like an eternity, only to suddenly reappear in perfect sync on a platform. Was this a team reaching a shared goal?
- The emperor penguin stood slightly apart from the group, facing them and flapping its flippers, as if offering a round of applause. Was this a leader who loved to visibly cheer on their team?
- And finally, there was the calm surface of the water, hiding a flurry of activity below. Fish of every colour, size, shape and speed moved through carefully constructed habitats—each one tailored to support the needs of a particular species.
Not every fish was expected to thrive in the same environment.
It was this fourth observation that really got me thinking about leadership.
Are you a leader who takes a one-size-fits-all approach to creating the right environment for your team?
Or do you take the time to understand the diversity within your team—their unique needs, backgrounds, generations, abilities, and competence levels—and shape the environment to support them accordingly?
If you’re a leader feeling frustrated by your team’s performance, consider what might be happening beneath the surface:
- What are the individual and collective work behaviour styles? Do you know what they are?
- Are your team members collaborating, staying agile, and thinking creatively?
- Is the physical and cultural environment truly set up to support optimal performance?
Does any of this resonate with you?
Explore further
Here are the links to two of the programs I offer that may help you in your leadership journey.
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If this sparked something for you, you might enjoy my online self-paced course, Find the Unstoppable You—a practical and empowering journey to deepen your leadership mindset and unlock your inner clarity and grit.