How Seven People Make Me a Grateful, Thankful Leader

Perry Maddox reflects on what it is to be a thankful leader, exploring seven diverse roles and people who make great teams.

It’s not about the turkey. Not even the pie.

Thanksgiving is what it says on the label. Like many harvest festivals around the world, it is a time to give thanks.

In the same spirit of celebrating a bountiful harvest, Thanksgiving is also a time to celebrate family and friends. To look around the table and to be thankful for the people in our lives.

That’s a powerful thing for us to do as leaders, no matter the time of year.

A Bountiful Blend.

You see a lot of cornucopias around Thanksgiving.

These ornamental baskets take their name from the Latin “horn of plenty.” People put them out this time of year because the cornucopia represents the abundance of a good harvest.

They are usually depicted full of the seasonal harvest: pumpkins, gourds, apples, corn, wildflowers, pears, grapes. All unique in shape and texture, brought together in bountiful abundance.

Much like a great team.

This Thanksgiving season, I’m a thankful leader because of the people I see around the table.

Five Team Members who make me a Thankful Leader.

When you build teams with these members, you’ll be a thankful leader indeed.

• The Solvers. Solvers raise their hand and run toward problems, not away from them. They are the people you trust to solve the toughest problems, to manage the crises, and to soothe the trickiest relationships. Because they don’t seek the limelight, you might not always see them, Seen or unseen, they make our work happen, reaching out in communities and holding our efforts together in teams. They are impact embodied.
• The Protectors. These carers protect and nourish our people and resources. Thoughtful and helpful toward others, they safeguard and defend against risk, loss and harm. Sensitive, caring and realistic, they ensure that we use our resources well, from time to talent to treasure. They tend to our people, ensuring quality in our work and equipping us with the tools we need to thrive.
• The Weavers. Blink and you’ll miss them, because they’re usually out the door building relationships and resources. They weave together influence and investment, partners and possibilities. They leverage insight and ideas to showcase our work and to persuade others to join us. These are our promotors and performers, at their best seizing the possible and talking people into it. They connect us with the world, and the world with us.
• The Wise Ones. Find them head down at the drafting table, designing and planning, our architects and engineers . They’re the rational ones who excel when listening, reflecting and thinking. The ones you go to for guidance and calm. No wonder they’re also great at coordinating, developing and marshalling teams to make their plans real.
• The Idealists. Dreamers who ask ‘what if,’ trusting intuition and emotion to answer the question. They give us our spark, spreading ideas, fighting injustice and challenging the status quo. Then they feed our fire, as caring teachers, mentors and healers who multiply talent around them. They advocate for a better world like they advocate for their people, because in both they see the potential and possibility that gets them out of bed each day.

Surround Yourself with these Two Special People, Thankful Leader.

Those are the five team members I love.

There are plenty of team type models out there, but no matter which model you use, make sure to surround yourself with two types of people:

• The Ones who Complete You. These people have the opposite strengths and weaknesses as you. They compliment you and cover your blindside, excelling where you are weakest so you don’t have to. They also balance you and help you come back to the middle. Together, you make each other the best versions of you, creating the best together in partnership.
• The Ones who Believe in You. When they see you stumble, they lift you up. They watch you receive hard feedback and whisper in your ear, telling you not to take it to heart. Encouraging you to build your strengths, not to overcompensate for mistakes. To take confidence in what you do well, not to try to be everything to everyone. They remind you to be you, because they believe in you.

Start with these two people, and then reflect on all the people around you. If you see a bountiful cornucopia, be a thankful leader.

If you don’t, get planting.