11 | If You Lean More Missional

You might be mission-driven if:

• You start meetings with agenda items, not personal check-ins

• You feel energized by strategy sessions and progress updates

• You get impatient with "small talk" and want to "get to work"

• You hire primarily for competence and results

• You measure success through metrics and outcomes

Your superpower: You create clarity, drive, and momentum. Teams know what they're building and why it matters.

Your blind spot: Without intentionality, you'll build a team culture that feels like coworkers rather than comrades. People will be aligned on the work but won't know each other as humans.

What your team experiences: Efficient meetings, clear expectations, strong results—but little emotional connection or psychological safety.

The Culture You Create: COWORKERS (High Mission, Low Relationship)

What you've unconsciously built:

• Meetings that are all business, no personal connection

• Team members who don't know each other beyond work roles

• Efficient but emotionally distant working relationships

• Clear goals but little vulnerability or trust

Your Growth Challenge

If you're mission-driven: Your team likely operates like efficient coworkers. They know what to do but may not feel deeply connected to each other or psychologically safe with you.

Building Your Relationship Muscle

In Your 1-on-1s:

• Start with 3-5 minutes of genuine personal check-in before work topics

• Ask follow-up questions about things they mentioned last week

• Share something personal about yourself first to model vulnerability

In Your Team Meetings:

• Allow natural banter in the first few minutes

• Have everyone share a recent win (personal or professional)

• Create space for affirmations based on team values

In Your Hiring:

• Add relationship-builders to your team—people who naturally connect and create psychological safety

• Look for both competence AND emotional intelligence

Your Next Step

If you're mission-driven: Schedule 15 minutes before your next team meeting for relationship-building. Ask each person to share one thing happening in their life outside of work.

The Integration Secret

Self-awareness: How am I showing up? What am I bringing to this interaction? What's my natural tendency, and how is it serving or limiting my team?

Emotional awareness: What's the emotional temperature of my team? How can I create both safety and challenge? Am I building connection or just going through the motions?