We’re starting something new. We’ve decided to sit down with high-performing team leaders to understand what actually makes their teams work. The goal is to share practical tips, real experiences, and research-backed approaches that you can actually use to build a high-performing team.
Our first interview is with Steve White, a leader who supports 86 professionals individually.
When we first came across Steve White in a video interview with Insights, we were struck by his humility and simplicity.
Steve lives in the UK and manages a network of professionals. When we reached out to learn more about his leadership approach, he surprised us by agreeing to meet whenever we wanted. That was perhaps the first sign of his management skills.
As Thailand’s exclusive Insights Partner, we’re about to support our first two practitioners. Steve has been supporting 86 of them individually while managing other business responsibilities. We wanted to understand how he manages it all.
During our 60-minute Zoom conversation, three statements stood out as key to his leadership philosophy.
3 High-Performing Leadership Philosophy
1. “The word ‘help’ is music to my ears.”
Steve shared something that made us reflect. At the end of every workshop, he walks up to the stakeholder and asks: “Who else can I help?”
This simple inquiry has in fact brought him more business than any other marketing strategy. And what makes it powerful is that it’s not a sales tactic. Steve genuinely sees every interaction as an opportunity to add value. And when you lead with a desire to help, people remember.
He shared an example from a previous leadership role where he had to dial up his Earth Green energy 🌿 (caring, supportive, patient) to shield his team from organisational distractions. He became a buffer to help his team operate in a more psychologically safe environment.
You can try this approach. After your next team meeting or project completion, ask “What else can I help with?“ But only if you genuinely mean it.
2. “Focus on relationships.”
This was music to our ears. Every time Steve gets a new practitioner, he schedules a series of calls with them to ensure they feel supported during the entire onboarding process. If they have follow-up questions, he makes time for additional calls.
What struck us is that Steve doesn’t see these as administrative tasks. He views them as relationship-building opportunities rather than just process explanations. This approach seems to help people feel more connected to him.
You can try this when onboarding new team members. Instead of rushing through processes, invest time in understanding who they are and how they prefer to work. The upfront investment in relationship-building can pay off in the long run.
A leader who build authentic relationships often brings out better performance in their team.
3. “Keep me in the loop.”
At the end of our conversation, Jirina’s Earth Green energy couldn’t help but ask if there was anything we could do to help him, that’s the response Steve gave us.
If you’ve worked with a leader who stayed genuinely interested in your progress, you know the difference it makes. Steve wants to be part of his team’s journey, not just available when problems arise.
Steven Bartlett recently interviewed Mohnish Pabrai , a multi-billionaire investor and author of “The Dhandho Investor,” who said there are three types of people: givers, takers, and matchers. You want a leader who falls in the first type. That’s exactly how we experienced Steve.
There’s more to Steve’s leadership than we could capture in those 60 minutes. But if you’re curious to learn more, just connect with him.
Lastly, here’s a reflection question for you:
If someone asks you what you love most about your team, how long will it take you to name it?
(Adapted from Christopher Celeste’s question shared by James Clear in his weekly newsletter)
This Month’s Resource
For busy leaders, planning your team’s development can feel overwhelming when you’re already stretched thin.
We’ve created a Team Performance Assessment that helps you identify:
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What’s already working well in your team
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Where to focus your energy first
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How your team members perceive each other’s contributions
The assessment includes a scoring guide and practical next steps you can implement this week along with longer-term development strategies.
victus-learning-space.teachable.com/p/team-performance-assessment-906733
