Wash, Rinse, Repeat

By Tyler Head

Wash, Rinse, Repeat
Moving cohesively toward a common goal.

Leaders are normally expected to have all the right answers, to set direction, and lead the charge. And yes, it takes courage to step out and lead in this way from the front of the pack, but it even takes more bravery to step into uncertainty and lead from the center of the pack by tapping into the collective wisdom of your team. You and I both know this to be true; the greatest solutions are discovered through the process itself—not negating our current knowledge but honoring the process of co-creating solutions together. Winston Churchill said it this way—

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.”

We as leaders may have keen insight into “the way forward.” Still, we know that the “better way” is often found by pressing in, being present, asking clarifying questions, and courageously taking steps forward as we boldly lead the brave souls that chose to follow us into the unknown. Try the wash, rinse & repeat method next time you want to bring a new idea to the table from start to finish. 

WASH

To wash an idea with your team, press into and understand both the issue and your team. Give yourself and your team the room and space to explore the issue in-depth; it is okay to let the issue soak a while. Make sure you understand the real problem. Pressing in has a whole lot to do with the way we as leaders direct our attention. Practically, it looks like listening to what your team is saying and listening to what they are not saying. Be attentive to what problems they are tackling or not tackling. In conjunction with this, we can:

1. Pick up on what they may need to progress, and
2. Gain clarity on whether or not this idea aligns with your bigger vision as a company.

RINSE

After washing an idea with your team, we must rinse. As leaders, we are charged with the tall task of measuring what we learn from our team with where we are headed. From there, we have the incredible opportunity to ask clarifying questions to our team working on the problems. Here are a couple of examples of clarifying questions you can use with your team—to implement a new idea or solution:

1. I hear you saying this often; tell me more about that?
2. I haven’t heard you say anything about “insert problem-specific goal”; help me understand why?
3. I’ve noticed you’re spending a lot of time in this area. Tell me more, is there anything you need from me to help you?
4. I’ve noticed we haven’t touched this area of problem, is there a specific reason why?

REPEAT

As leaders, when we begin to invite our team into the process of bringing a new idea to fruition, we are gifted with much more than we know. We can make smarter decisions that drive better results and yield healthier teams through the washing and rinsing part. We have accomplished a couple of different things in our personal development and the development of our team culture.

1. Responsibility is developed on all levels.
2. Our team is heard, reminded that they are cared for, and encouraged in their effort.
3. We now have a better understanding of the team dynamics as they work on the problems that make up the bigger ones.
4. We can progress toward established, common goals with greater clarity, confidence, and humility and know it is a team effort.

From here, we always have the opportunity to repeat. The greatest part about this wash, rinse & repeat is that it can be picked up anywhere in the process of leading a team to bring an idea to fruition.

At DRYVE Leadership Group, we develop a culture that moves cohesively and effectively toward a common goal. We’d love to help guide you through a wash, rinse & repeat approach for your team today! Let’s chat.