What’s that expression? “Hindsight is always 20/20.”

If only we had eyes to see. If only we had eyes to see inside our team. If only we had eyes to see the health of our team.

If only we could have seen the weaknesses, the gaps . . . perhaps we would have been able to save our team, our work, our project, and ourselves from all the pain and hardship.

Our team was young and grew fast. We went from four to ten in six months. We had colleagues ranging from age 19 to age 60—some with decades of overseas experience and some without a single day.

We needed help, and we didn’t know it.

We needed eyes to see. We needed a tool, a resource, a coach.

Our team didn’t make it. Only a few months after growing exponentially, our team and our project exploded and died. There were casualties along the way.

It could have all been avoided.

If only we would have known. If only we could have seen. “Hindsight is always 20/20.” If only we would have known the path to take, the road to walk on to build a healthy team.

We all sat in a circle, silent. No one from our team wanted to start. No one wanted to go first. No one wanted to be the first to tell their story.

The assignment was to go around the room, everyone sharing how they were feeling about the new team structure. It was personal, and no one felt comfortable opening their mouth and baringbearing all. No one was ready to open their heart and be vulnerable about their feelings.

Were safety and trust present? 

The team leader rarely showed transparency or vulnerability, rarely admitted his own faults or personal struggles. He seemed to have his life together. His marriage and his family appeared to be perfect. 

All of us on the team feared being judged by the others. We wondered if

Where are you headed?

What helps you get up in the morning?

What will you say “yes” to today?

Why do you do what you do?

These questions reflect your vision. Do you have one? Some leaders don’t, but the good ones usually do.

Read more to see why it’s important . . .

Leader /lē-dər/ noun. The first one to arrive. The last one standing.

For real? We laugh, but all too often that's the way it happens. As a leader, you might be wondering, "What am I really supposed to do?" There are many aspects of leadership, but the actual jobs of a leader can be defined in three basic descriptions . . .