LEADERS ENGAGE IN SELF-EVALUATION AND BUILD UP THEIR TEAMMATES BY SHOWING TRUST IN THEM

Several weeks ago I wrote about how important it is for leaders to identify their own growth gaps and work on them to improve in specific areas of leadership.

Simultaneously, it is critical for leaders to identify growth gaps for each of their teammates or direct reports so they can work closely with them to strengthen the skill and knowledge areas which need enhancement.

I was reminded of the importance of trust that leaders place in their team members earlier this month after reading about a local celebrity.
That celebrity is Spencer Carbery, the head coach of the Washington Capitals National Hockey League team.

Two weeks ago Carberry was named the winner of the Jack Adams Award, the annual award given to the NHL coach of the year. This was a significant career achievement for Carbery because the Caps are his very first NHL head coaching job.

Carberry, 43, is the first person to win coach of the year in the National Hockey League, and the minor league American Hockey League and East Coast Hockey League. That’s pretty significant for a professional coach, and I’m guessing it signifies that Carbery is an excellent leader.

In this, his second year with the Capitals, Carberry, led Washington to the top of the NHL Eastern Conference with 51 regular season wins. During the regular season, he not only led his team to the highest point total in their conference, but also navigated Alex Ovechkin‘s chase for the all-time NHL goals record.

What did Chris Patrick, the Capitals General Manager, say about Carbery after he was named the award winner:

“I was impressed this year with his growth. Coaches are always evaluating. They’re in the business of evaluating their players and staff, but I think he showed a really intelligent self-evaluation his first year to his second year. He showed really good growth, and that all comes from self-evaluation and self-reflection. Constantly striving to be better. Asking:

-How can I be better?

-How can we be better as a staff?

-What else can we do to get to the next level?”

What did Carbery himself say upon winning the award?

“If players know that I am genuinely committed to their success, that I want to see them succeed, and I will do anything, trust starts to build. After that, honest conversations follow, along with teamwork and hopefully improvement. “

“They know that everything I’m showing them, negative or positive, is coming from a place of, I want to see them succeed. That, I think, is where it’s all rooted. Teaching and coaching is building a trust, so that when you get into the trenches, they know that you’ve got their back and they can trust you. Good or bad, if we’re playing well or we’re not playing well, they know it’s coming from a spot where they can trust me as their head coach.”

Connor McMichael, one of the team’s best young players, said about Carbery: “He really made me feel comfortable. He really believed in me. That was a huge thing. I could feel that confidence he had in me and that trust he had in me.”

Carbery himself said: “I love my job. I’m passionate about it. I love the development of my players and helping them get better and achieve their maximum potential. That’s why I wake up in the morning.”

You need not be a professional hockey coach in order to take lessons away from Spencer Carberry. All good leaders do everything they can to help their teammates thrive.

This includes :

-Believing in them,

-Having trust in them, and

-Helping them fulfill their maximum potential.

What can you do- starting tomorrow – to show more confidence and trust in your critical teammates?

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-Larry