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In the fast-paced and ever-evolving realm of corporate leadership, the relationship between leaders and their teams is a cornerstone of organisational success. The way leaders engage with their employees can significantly impact morale, productivity, and overall company culture. At the heart of this dynamic lies a fundamental distinction between “calling out” and “calling forward” employees. While the former tends to evoke feelings of defensiveness, demoralisation, and detachment among team members, the latter cultivates an environment of encouragement, development, and mutual support. We’ll delve deeper into the intricate nuances of these two approaches and explore how leaders can harness the power of calling forward to inspire, motivate, and empower their teams to achieve extraordinary results.

Understanding the Dynamics: Calling Out vs. Calling Forward

When leaders resort to calling out employees, they risk creating an environment rife with negativity and self-doubt. Calling out can lead to feelings of inadequacy, fear of failure, and a lack of trust between leaders and team members. Lets be clear, calling out doesn’t necessarily mean having the conversation in the moment and in front of people. It refers to the context and content. It refers to the tone, delivery and intention behind the conversation.

Calling forward entails empowering employees to reach their full potential by focusing on growth, development, and mutual respect. Again, you can call someone forward regardless of who else is present. Let’s look at our key strategies for effective calling forward below.

Key Strategies for Calling Forward

1. Creating Psychological Safety: Building trust and fostering an environment of psychological safety is paramount for calling forward. Employees should feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, ideas, and concerns without fear of judgment or retribution. Open and honest communication lays the foundation for growth and collaboration.
2. Emphasising Positivity and Reframing: Instead of dwelling on shortcomings or mistakes, focus on the positives and opportunities for growth. Reframing challenges as learning experiences can help employees develop resilience and embrace a growth mindset. Celebrate achievements and progress to reinforce a culture of positivity and encouragement.
3. Understanding Individual Needs: Every employee is unique, with different strengths, weaknesses, and communication styles. As a leader, take the time to understand each team member’s preferences and tailor your approach accordingly. Providing personalised support and feedback demonstrates care and investment in their development.
4. Promoting Continuous Improvement: Encourage a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the team. Emphasise the value of innovation, creativity, and learning from failure. By framing challenges as opportunities for growth, you empower employees to embrace change and adapt to new situations.
5. Leading by Example: As a leader, your actions speak louder than words. Lead by example and demonstrate the qualities and behaviours you expect from your team. Show empathy, integrity, and a commitment to personal and professional growth. Ask yourself how you would like to be managed in a similar situation and strive to embody those principles in your leadership approach.

To give you an example:

Calling Out: Imagine a leader who criticises a team member for a mistake made during a work deliverable. The leader’s tone is harsh, and they focus solely on the error, without offering constructive feedback or support. They are rigid in the mindset of, ‘you should know better’. This approach can leave the team member feeling embarrassed, demoralised, and less likely to contribute positively in the future. It creates a culture of fear and discouragement, where team members may be hesitant to take risks or share innovative ideas for fear of failure and judgement.

Calling Forward: In contrast, let’s envision a different scenario where the leader adopts a calling forward approach where the leader takes a more empathetic and supportive stance. They address the mistake, yet offer constructive feedback and guidance on how to improve. The leader acknowledges the team member’s efforts and encourages them to learn from the experience and grow professionally. By fostering open communication, trust, and a growth mindset, this approach empowers the team member to overcome challenges, take ownership of their development, and contribute more effectively to the team’s success. They adopt the mindset of ‘let’s do better’ which flows throughout the team and imbeds this in the culture overall.

In today’s corporate landscape, calling forward employees is essential for fostering a culture of empowerment, collaboration, and growth. By creating psychological safety, emphasising positivity, understanding individual needs, promoting continuous improvement, and leading by example, leaders can inspire their teams to reach new heights of success.

Let’s shift the focus from calling out to calling forward, and watch as our teams flourish and thrive.

Let’s do great things.

#mindfluencer