Translating Sports Team Principles to the Business World | Lloyd Fobi - E9

Hey friends! Recently, we had the pleasure of chatting with Lloyd Fobi, a senior technology leader and former soccer coach. Lloyd brings a wealth of insight on building empathy and trust within teams. We kick things off talking about Lloyd's leadership approach - caring for people while still holding them to high standards. He shares a story from his first week leading a new team, using engaging questions to break down assumptions and get to know them as human beings. The heart of our conversation explores how to practically build empathy on a daily basis. Lloyd stresses understanding each person's strengths so you can elevate them, not trying to change people to fit some predefined box. We also discuss the importance of selflessness and serving your team, whether through difficult conversations or even just taking support calls to understand people's day-to-day reality. Other gems Lloyd shares: looking for teammates based on how they treat each other rather than pure skill, the power of hope and trust emerging through shared hardship, and how to keep showing appreciation after the honeymoon phase ends. If you lead people, or simply want to lead with more empathy, don't miss this chat!

“Practicing empathy does more for the person giving than the person receiving, which is a strikingly interesting feeling to go through.” - Lloyd Fobi

Key Takeaways:
(00:00:57) - Introduction and Background to Llyod Fobi
(00:01:49) - Building Amazing Teams through Empathy and Care
(00:04:51) - Building Trust in a New Environment 
(00:09:48) - Lloyd's Transformation of His Coaching Philosophy 
(00:14:29) - Bringing the Intensity of the Sports World to the Business World
(00:16:46) - Selflessness and Team Success 
(00:18:22) - Motivation and Continuous Improvement 
(00:22:13) - Managing Weaknesses and Leveraging Strengths 
(00:27:27) - The Power of Empathy and Giving 
(00:29:11) - Giving Tacos 
(00:35:13) - Conclusion and Gratitude

Mentions:

• Read the book Tribal Leadership to learn about the five stages of team development and how to build an amazing team.
• Check out the book Legacy by Steve Kerr to understand the principles of building a successful team, as exemplified by the All Blacks.
• Consider reading the book The Go-Giver for insights on the principles that make a great leader and team member.

Connect with Lloyd:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lloyd-fobi/

Build Stronger, Connected, More Engaged Teams:
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About the Amazing Teams Podcast
We started this podcast because we love teams, especially amazing ones. Michael Jordan said it best, "Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships." This is what we're all about!

Our mission is to help others build amazing teams by having authentic conversations with remarkable people who are building amazing teams. We will explore the tactics, strategies, and frameworks that have helped them succeed.

The Amazing Teams Podcast is produced by HeyTaco. Please share your feedback with us here: https://amazingteams.com/feedback.