Team Life Characteristics - Part 4

I need you. I need to spend time with you. I know you are busy. I know you have heavy responsibilities but for me to grow I need to be with you. I need to be able to ask questions. I need a friend as well as a leader.

Leadership is relationship. I am choosing to follow you. I buy into a person before I buy into their vision. It is hard to follow you if I do not know you. Be vulnerable with me. Be real with me. Let me see your failures and your successes.

Do not keep me at a distance. Living cross culturally can be lonely as it is for a leader to be distant from me. I need to be with you.

I want to be there for you and I desire for us to do life together but I may not alway be available when you want me to be. I have responsibilities. I have family/friends. I need time to myself.

I want to be available to you but it may not be the way you expected or want it to be. You being flexible with me creates in me a desire to be with you. But when you misunderstand me or assume negative intent it builds a wall between us. Be understanding of me. Be flexible with me. Lead up.

Expectations are everything. Unmet expectations on the part of the team member causes disillusionment. Unmet expectations on the part of the team leader creates frustration.

Team leaders and team members I encourage you to clearly articulate your expectations and needs to one another. Prevent misunderstandings, frustrations, and disillusionment before they happen. You accomplish that by communicating clearly with one another.