Today I finished going through the Results that Last: 7 Roles Every Manager Must Master course through Let’s Grow Leaders, and the last role is one that in essence, sums up the rest of them. In review, the first six roles are:
The final role is one of Ambassador.
Dictionary.com defines ambassador as an “authorized messenger or representative.” As a team leader, an ambassador represents the team to other leaders and organizations. They are often the ones that present results, concerns, and accomplishments. They also field the tough questions about where their team seems to be missing the mark.
Another layer of responsibility for an ambassador is to equip their team members to be ambassadors for the team as well. In this way, everyone on the team represents the team and what it stands for.
The tenth and final part of the course provided a 360 assessment for leaders to share with their team.
As I think about this course in relation to what I do, it encourages me to strengthen each of these roles for use in a different context than that of a manager. I don’t really manage a team, but I do influence and help people. In my three main roles–that of collaborative virtual assistant, writer, and business soft skills trainer–here’s how I feel I can apply the seven roles for results that last. For purposes of this part of the discussion, I am grouping my clients, students, and readers into one definition of “colleagues” because we all work together to continually grow in our professional and personal lives.
Translator – I can help my colleagues understand the big picture elements of becoming less-overwhelmed in their day-to-day life as professionals. This includes sharing ideas, information, and resources (see connector) but goes deeper into inspiring and helping them stay focused on their values and principles of serving others. I can specifically help them turn their big dreams and values into implementable action.
Builder – I can build up my colleagues’ confidence in their ability to reach their own audiences, develop their writing skills, and manage their time and teams more effectively.
Connector – I can bring people who should know each other together, and point colleagues toward resources that will help them.
Galvanizer – I can energize my colleagues with thought provoking, energizing questions and tips, and also in a very literal way take tasks off their plates that drain them. Sometimes it simply means being a cheerleader and acknowledging their progress!
Accelerator – I can prompt my colleagues to get–and keep–moving toward their goals. This happens in client calls, for example, when I am collaborating with them and being a source of accountability for their own goals.
Backer – I can “have the backs” of my colleagues and believe the best of them. I can support them in challenging times. I can pray for them. (As a person of faith, my business life dovetails with my beliefs and I venture to guess that there isn’t a colleague out there who wouldn’t mind being prayed for no matter their own faith persuasion.)
Ambassador – I can equip all my colleagues as they represent themselves and their organizations to the world. As I represent all of you, I hope to do so with grace and professionalism.
The day I wrote this, it was a couple days before Thanksgiving. I didn’t realize the post was going to go in this direction, and by the time it publishes, Thanksgiving will be over and we will be well into the beginning of Advent. However, this is a great opportunity to thank all of YOU — each one of you is a colleague of mine whether we know each other personally or not. I appreciate and value the opportunity to serve you on a regular basis through one or more of my roles.
If you are interested in going through Results that Last yourself, click below, and benefit HOPE at the same time!