Jackie Zach
January 25, 2024
In another insightful discussion, Jackie Zach and Mike McKay explore three essential tips for catalyzing greatness in teams. The first tip is setting clear expectations, emphasizing the importance of mutual clarity to avoid misunderstandings. Leaders should provide measurable results and avoid assuming that employees automatically understand their expectations. The second tip focuses on creating a positive culture, which is shaped by everyday behaviors rather than grand statements. Leaders should intentionally manage their culture, ensuring it aligns with the values they want to promote, such as respect and customer satisfaction.
The third tip highlights the importance of focusing on the destination or the desired results rather than micromanaging the process. Mike and Jackie stress that leaders should give employees the freedom to find their own way to accomplish tasks as long as they meet ethical and legal standards. This autonomy fosters creativity and ownership, leading to greater innovation and success. Through real-world examples, they illustrate how empowering employees to take initiative can lead to unexpected and rewarding outcomes. Ultimately, the episode encourages leaders to trust their teams and create an environment where greatness can thrive.
Listen as we discuss 3 tips to help you, as a leader, bring out the best in your people! Interested in learning the recipe that can help you create greatness in others? Take advantage of a complimentary business strategy session to discover the opportunities in your business! https://makemoreworkless.actioncoach.com/mmwl-diag-and-questions/
Podcast Transcript:
Jackie Zach: Welcome back, everyone, to the Make More Work Less podcast. I’m Jackie Zach, here with Mike McKay. We’ve got a great topic today: three tips to catalyze greatness in people.
Mike McKay: Imagine if leadership were easier—a clear recipe to help you get the best from your team. Today, we’ll cover three tips to set you on that path: clear expectations, creating your culture, and understanding the destination versus the path.
Jackie: I love it! Let’s start with setting clear expectations. Why is this important for leaders?
Mike: Because mutual mystification makes people seem like they don’t know what they’re doing.
Jackie: Exactly!
Mike: The reality is, unless someone has lived your exact experience, they can’t know what you know. Assuming they do puts them in a position to fail because their perspective differs from yours. This concept is called the Johari Window. If you expect people to think and act like you, it won’t take long to see that assumption break down—so don’t use it as a leadership tool.
Jackie: Right. Sometimes, as leaders, we have entire conversations in our heads and then blurt out a sentence or two, expecting others to understand. But the person listening has no context.
Mike: Exactly. Clarity comes from defining measurable results. If you’re not saying, “I want this done by that time—can you do it?” you’re likely being unclear. Clear expectations are the first step toward creating greatness in your team.
Jackie: Great point. The second tip is creating a positive culture. Let’s talk about that.
Mike: You’ve probably walked into a place where the vibe felt off—where no one looked up or engaged with you. Contrast that with a place like Chick-fil-A, where their focus is “How can I serve you today?”
Culture is about observable behaviors. People overcomplicate it with grand mission statements, but it’s really about what you see happening daily. You either create your culture intentionally or let it happen by default.
We’ve guided teams through this exercise dozens of times. Most teams say they want respect among coworkers, happy customers, and a grateful business owner. No one wakes up thinking, “I hope my boss thinks I’m useless today.” But if you don’t manage your culture, that can become the reality.
Jackie: Absolutely! Involve your team. This doesn’t have to be the owner’s job alone. The more people participate, the more they’ll embrace and uphold the culture.
So, will you create your culture—or let it create itself? Which will you choose today?
The third tip is understanding the destination—the results we’re aiming for.
Mike: Often, we get stuck thinking there’s a “right” way to do something. But as a leader, the priority should be that the task gets done, not necessarily how it gets done. The only rules are that it must be legal, ethical, and moral. Assuming your employees aren’t serial killers, they’ll follow those rules.
The “what” is the destination, while the “how” is the path. If you micromanage the path, you set people up for failure. For example, if I tell you exactly how to do something, and you only partially follow my instructions, when it fails, you’ll blame me: “It was your plan.”
If you want great results, give people room to find their own way. It won’t be how you’d do it, but that’s okay. Focus on the result, not how it gets gone.
Jackie: Exactly. I have a great example from my own business. When I ran a small retail store selling olive oil and balsamic vinegar, we wanted more sales and higher profits.
I let my team brainstorm ways to achieve that. One employee came up with the idea of creating a unique cookbook, involving other staff and friends. We sold it exclusively in our store. If I’d dictated how to increase sales, that idea wouldn’t have happened—I didn’t even know how to do it! She loved the project and took ownership.
Even if it hadn’t worked, we could’ve used it for cooking classes or other things like that. By giving her the freedom and support, we created a successful new product.
Mike: Yep, that’s what happens when you trust great people.
Jackie: Exactly. You have a choice in how you shape your business culture and catalyze greatness in your team. Imagine how fulfilling it would be to unlock their best potential. How would that feel for you and your employees? What kind of results would your company see?
If you want to learn more, feel free to give me a call or contact me at jackiezach@actioncoach.com.
Thanks for the three tips on catalyzing greatness in people. Now, take what you’ve learned and go kick some ass!