Insights from Dennis Dowdell on Building Self-Sufficient Teams
- Insights from Dennis Dowdell on Building Self-Sufficient Teams Karl Staib 58:45
Join us for a conversation about building a team that thrives with and without you. Dennis Dowdell is a best-selling author of Maximize You. One of my favorite parts of the interview is the story of how he trains people to replace him.
1. Leadership principles and frameworks
Dennis shared frameworks for leadership like knowing what comes next, importance of tasks, and utilizing available resources. Effective leadership is about performance, not position.
2. Developing leaders through systems and processes
Dennis explained his tell-show-do system for training others through demonstration and practice. Regular check-ins and encouragement build competence and confidence over 90 days.
3. Building confidence through competence
Trainees learn by teaching, deepening their skills and replacing Dennis. Continuous Growth happens through challenging roles like training others.
4. Transitioning to a new phase of work
At 74, Dennis launched Maximize You to share his experience developing leaders worldwide. Marketing himself is challenging without previous support systems. He hired coaches to refine his processes.
5. Assumptions that enable leadership
Dennis assumes people do what makes sense to them and want to grow, make a difference and avoid failure. By focusing on others’ potential, one can accomplish more than believed possible through encouragement.
You can learn more about Maria Maldonado Smith over at MMS Consulting. You can also connect with her on LinkedIn.
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