Here's how you can embody the key qualities of a collaborative leader.

Once the issues are on the table, here’s how to foster an open dialogue for team members: 1. **Create a Safe Space**: Ensure everyone feels comfortable expressing thoughts without fear of judgment. 2. **Active Listening**: Encourage empathetic listening, acknowledging each viewpoint. 3. **Facilitate the Discussion**: Keep the conversation focused and productive, addressing each issue systematically. 4. **Respectful Communication**: Remind participants to use respectful language and tone. 5. **Seek Common Ground**: Identify shared goals and values for collaborative problem-solving. 6. **Summarize and Act**: Conclude with a summary and a clear action plan to resolve issues.

Empathy is less about understanding someone’s perspective and more about accepting and validating it. For example, you may be a manager who doesn’t have children yet you manage people who are parents. You may not understand their perspectives and challenges, but you can listen, honor their experiences, and facilitate the support they need to thrive.

When communicating the vision, you must also tailor the message to fit the perspectives of the team. Often, leaders use All Hands (sometimes called All Team) meetings to provide updates on organizational goals and vision. However, if you are a director sharing vision with a group of frontline associates, it’s important to tailor the message to fit the audience or it simply won’t resonate. Then, the leader must be prepared to accept that the broader vision creates challenges downstream, although temporary, and provide the right support to lead their team through it by checking in often and listening.

As a leader, adopt these strategies to build and maintain trust within your team: Be transparent: Share information openly and maintain clear communication channels to demonstrate honesty and integrity. Remain consistent: Align your actions with your words, ensuring predictability in your leadership approach. Prove reliability: Deliver on your promises and support your team during challenges, showcasing your commitment to their success. Promote a learning culture: Encourage risk-taking and view mistakes as learning opportunities, allowing the team to grow and innovate. By nurturing trust within your team, you create an environment where everyone feels secure to express their ideas, fueling collaboration and driving collective success.

Many leaders share their vision but do not actively seek feedback, which is crucial for true collaboration. How you choose to share your vision determines whether people feel they are a part of the future and outcomes. Encouraging debate fosters a sense of inclusion and ownership among team members. By inviting different perspectives and feedback, you create a collaborative environment where everyone feels valued and engaged in achieving common goals.

Distribute tasks so the whole team has a chance to contribute. Think about each individual's skills, interests and professional development when delegating. Then, bring the team together regularly not just to check progress, but also to encourage supporting one another, share learnings and feel connected on the project.

Being seen is crucial because it lets others know they are valued and their contributions are appreciated. Just as in psychology, where we crave someone to listen to us, in the workplace, we want our abilities and contributions to be recognized. When we are seen, we feel heard and empowered, acknowledging that we truly have a voice.