At the church we attend on Sundays, they recite the rosary beginning thirty minutes before each mass. For the 7 a.m. Mass, there are few people present for the start, especially when there is snow on the ground. Cyndi and I arrived yesterday as the snow was flying and rosary was just starting. We took our typical place near where the individual leading the rosary sits.

With a group rosary, the leader typically says the first half of each prayer. The others present recite the second half. With even a small crowd (or a few people gathered within earshot), this approach works well. With only a few people scattered around a large church, it makes the call and response challenging, especially for the leader, who can’t hear when the other people complete their half of a prayer. The fact we were near the leader helped create some volume for the responses to help him keep pace.

When we completed the rosary, he stopped to thank us for being there, saying, "It's always easier to lead the rosary when you are here to pray along." I thanked him for showing up early to lead it.

4-Step Formula for Encouraging Idea Magnets and Team Members

I share this story because as we've been working on the manuscript for a new Brainzooming book on Idea Magnets and creative leadership, I've been thinking a lot about how leaders and followers encourage each another. It struck me how this simple situation underscored what leaders and followers can do for each other.

The leader:

  • Was visible and present so we knew where to find him
  • Got things started, even though the situation was less than ideal
  • Pressed on no matter what
  • Thanked the followers for participating

We, as followers:

  • Positioned ourselves near the leader
  • Dependably followed our designated role
  • Were vocal and available to help the leader more effectively perform his part
  • Thanked the leader for leading

Just a four-step formula for how leaders (and Idea Magnets) and team members encourage each other that seems like it works in most situations.

While there may be all kinds of other things going on within a team, if you as a leader or a follower, can get these four items right, you're well down the path toward successful implementation. – Mike Brown

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