How WHO becomes HOW

I’ve always considered myself to have strong interpersonal and communication skills. My leadership strategy has often been to rely on my own abilities while working to enable and empower others to feel comfortable and contribute to their highest and best levels. But in focusing so much on my own role in the process, I’ve missed the forest for the trees: true collaboration and empowerment aren’t about one person drivingd the vision—they’re about creating a shared space where everyone feels ownership and value.

I’ve learned that no matter how good the idea is, innovation has to create value for the customer as well as the people who are actualizing the change. This reflects the need to begin with empathy. The path forward comes out of the understanding of everyone’s perspectives, shared in a safe space, where feedback can be incorporated into a plan. Starting with a plan in place, while altruistically laid out to remove obstacles, can be a wet blanket on innovation and inhibit buy-in from stakeholders. This reminds me of a favorite quote often used at West Music: “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” –– George Bernard Shaw. For those of us who excel at planning and organization, I think it is easy for that same proactive inclination to be read as a “closed for contribution” signal. It is a challenge to communicate organizational intention and a desire to remove obstacles as inclusive, which is a key argument for human-centered and collaborative planning. It’s less about organizing the how and more about planning the who: WHO do we need in the room to plan the HOW.

Here’s how embracing the “who” leads to better, more sustainable “how.”

• Recognizing True Collaboration:

• Leadership isn’t about driving the vision alone but creating a shared space where everyone feels ownership and value.

• Empowerment comes from collective contributions, not individual efforts.

• Prioritizing Empathy:

• Innovation must create value for both the customer and the people actualizing the change.

• Begin by understanding everyone’s perspectives in a safe, inclusive environment.

• Incorporating Feedback:

• Build plans that evolve through collaboration, incorporating diverse input for better buy-in and stronger outcomes.

• Avoid presenting finalized plans, even with good intentions, as they can discourage contributions.

• Challenging Communication Assumptions:

• Be mindful of the “illusion of communication”—ensure messages are understood and feedback loops are active.

• For those skilled in planning, ensure proactive efforts are perceived as open to contributions, not as “finished.”

• Shifting from How to Who:

• Successful outcomes depend less on organizing the process and more on identifying the right people to shape it.

• Ask, Who do we need in the room to co-create the How?

Creating meaningful change starts with a simple but powerful shift: focusing on who before how. True collaboration happens when we step back from our individual contributions and prioritize creating a space where everyone feels heard, valued, and empowered to participate.

That’s where Your MBA Friend comes in. Whether you’re a seasoned leader or just beginning to explore your potential, Your MBA Friend offers tools, strategies, and a human-centered approach to help you align your who with your how. Together, we can create the kind of collaboration that sparks real transformation.

Are you ready to turn your ideas into action? Let’s work together to build something extraordinary!