The other day, as I once again played the role of an unpaid Uber driver, I found myself inadvertently privy to a truly enlightening lesson in collaboration between the kids in my car. Let’s call them “the Leaders of Tomorrow”.
The lively chatter of the young Leaders filled the car, and within their conversation emerged a perspective that made me pause, scratch my head, and think, “Hmm,” because clearly, these kids are the Einstein-level strategists of our time. The Leaders of Tomorrow openly discussed how they helped each other on their math tests. As any responsible adult might do, I chimed in, “Dudes, that’s cheating! You need to know how to do the work yourselves.”
Their reply, infused with the insight of future Nobel Prize winners, shifted my perspective. “It’s all good,” one of them explained. “I help him with his English, and it’s not like I don’t know what we are doing; he is just way better, and it takes less time.” It was like a lightbulb went off in my brain due to the brilliance of their logic – or maybe it was just flickering.
It has always amazed me how children possess an innate ability to identify and appreciate each other’s strengths without judgment. They say what’s truthfully on their minds. Instead of fostering a competitive atmosphere (that comes later in the dark ages of teens), they instinctively seek ways to help each other, creating an environment that thrives on shared success. As adults, there’s a profound lesson to be learned from this childlike wisdom, particularly in the context of our workplaces. Who wouldn’t want to model their professional behaviour on the strategic prowess of the sixth grader?
I don’t know about you, but I have been known to ask the Leaders of Tomorrow consistently who they want to be when they grow up, yet once we “become adults,” we are just supposed to have it all figured out.
That’s why kicking it old school and encouraging a strength-based approach to collaboration in the workplace works so well. Prompting each other with simple questions can identify and acknowledge individual strengths because we all need a reminder that we’re not all omnipotent geniuses. Self-awareness builds teams that complement each other’s abilities and encourage transparent and sincere communication.
Like the two young Leaders in the back of my car, it creates opportunities for cross-training, allowing team members to learn from each other’s expertise and enhancing both individual skills and the overall team dynamic.
Then, when assigning projects, you can consider the strengths of each team member and align tasks accordingly to ensure that everyone contributes optimally and is not boxed into a strict role; instead, they can feel comfortable in an endless game of choosing their own adventure.
I don’t know about you, but it sounds beneficial for everyone if we start taking professional cues from the savvy minds of the Leaders of Tomorrow. It’s time to think like kids again, where every day feels like a playground of possibilities.
