Four Steps to Mobilising Others
By: Isabella Yuki Ho
Tags: Tips, Education, Leadership Development

Nicolette Tan at Leadership Masterclass 2020

“Where the fire burns, I’ll be there.” This is how Nicolette Tan describes her involvement with various causes since the age of 15. Whenever she sees a new initiative, she would always ask the question, “When can I start?” Nicolette is currently part of the organisation, Access SG, mentoring youths from less privileged backgrounds. During the COVID-19 season, she has taken up more initiatives, such as co-founding ChopeAndSave and volunteering with the COVID-19 Migrant Support Coalition (CMSC).

Being a young person, Nicolette relates the challenges we all face. For starters, how do you begin the search of where your passions lie? How do you know what causes are worth your time? What skills do you have to bring to the table? Most crucially, how do you mobilise others to join you and your cause?

Ever asked yourself any of these questions? Here are some tips from Nicolette after learning from her fair share of trial and error:

1. Take the Time to Know Yourself

Take some time to think about causes and issues that you are passionate about, and ask yourself why they matter so much to you. This is how you ‘find your Why’. Moving on from there, conduct some research on existing solutions and programmes, and find areas that are not being addressed. What is the specific problem to tackle? More importantly, are you the best person to solve the problem?

Allow yourself room for trial and error, and even if you gradually lose passion, it is okay to invest your time elsewhere. Through deeper introspection, you will be able to invest your time more fruitfully in causes you find meaningful, and you can confidently say no to the opportunities that don’t suit you. By knowing your interests and your capabilities, you will know best how you can add value to the cause using your skills and expertise. Often, you will realise that you are not the solution — but you have the management skills to convene a group of people to come up with the answer.

Time management is a common issue we all cite. For Nicolette, she plans her time well by building a routine to keep the momentum, carving out fixed blocks of time to invest in each cause, among other obligations and responsibilities. You don’t always have to be the person investing your time. Know how much time you’re willing to invest in each cause, some more than others.

2. Mobilising People

Nicolette talks about the law of attraction and finding like-minded people with the same passions. It may be daunting to initiate conversations and reach out to others, but it is okay to start with small steps to start getting comfortable, for instance, making use of social media by resharing articles that resonate with you, and sharing your thoughts on it. A crucial step that is often overlooked would be creating spaces and opportunities for people to brainstorm for ideas and solutions with you.

Approaching people requires sincerity and humility, as well as an appreciation of the growth process. With that in mind, mobilising different groups of people becomes a much smoother process. When approaching people who are more senior than you, actively communicate what strengths they bring to the table, why you would like to bring them into the team. Be clear about their roles and what you can offer them as well.

When mobilising seemingly difficult people, it is important to consider their intentions. Give people the benefit of the doubt since they were willing to commit their time while assuming good intentions on their part. There may be other reasons for their behaviour, such as mismanagement of time or bandwidth. There may also be a misalignment between the direction of the project and what they actually want to do. To better understand the situation, it is crucial to spend some time initiating conversations with them. If these methods are ineffective, evaluate if that particular person is more disruptive than the value they bring to the team.

Mobilising less vocal team members would also require effective communication while experimenting with different feedback channels. Get them to express themselves in different ways while understanding their various styles, and how to best manage them.

3. Managing Your Team

“How would you like to be managed?” Asking these seemingly granular questions is fundamental in managing teams more effectively. Setting and establishing group norms will also heighten work productivity. Nicolette talks about her formula for building trust.

To maximise the potential of the group, identifying the strengths of the team members will allow members to better recognise their capabilities. While being sensitive to their needs and allowing them to be heard, they will believe that you have their best interests at heart. Building trust doesn’t just take place during times of crisis, but it has to be established on a regular basis. Be consultative and consider their perspectives when making decisions — if they are on your side, it will be easier to lead them.

Your team members can be encouraged to take up more challenges for their growth and that of the group. Presenting challenges as incremental developmental opportunities rather than an assessment will allow your team members to ease themselves out of their comfort zones. Even if they are not ready for challenges, keep those opportunities accessible still. When they are ready to take it on, be someone who watches out for their growth.

When onboarding new people, it is important for them to be properly inducted and familiarised with the group. Share passions, the structure of the cause and the project to allow everyone to be on the same page while communicating specific roles in the team.

4. How to Stay Motivated

Dealing with criticism is an issue we all struggle with, and it would be useful to develop a ‘thick skin’, as there will always be people who will disagree with you. Reflect on whether they have a valid point. If you deem their criticism to be unfounded, ask the critics for the reasons behind their criticism as it will allow them to reflect on themselves.

When posed with constructive criticism, be sure to internalise it because it comes from a place of concern from the people around you. When asking for opinions regarding particular criticism you have received, check in with the people you trust to be your voice of reason and to provide advice.

Breaks are equally important for productivity, and Nicolette advises us to schedule breaks, while remembering to inform your team beforehand so they will be able to make suitable adjustments. Structure your team in a way that it can still function, with projects and systems being able to run smoothly even if the leader is away. As you’re planning your work schedule, bear in mind to plan your joy as well!

Conclusion

Nicolette shares her advice for young leaders: Spend a lot of time reflecting on your Why and who you are. Be passionately curious and humble about learning more about the world around you. It is important to remember that the strength of relationships helps to build team alignment, so be kind to yourself and others.

These tips were shared as part of the Leadership Masterclass series, held in collaboration with The Birthday Collective.

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