Leadership In Action: How I Turned a Reluctant Team into a Winning Powerhouse?
Stepping into a New Role: Excitement and Challenges
I was excited and terrified when I got my new position as department chief.
This was a promotion I had earned through years of being aggressive and task-oriented, successfully leading another division to achieve remarkable results.
But almost immediately, I realized that this was a different role.
The department I had been entrusted to lead was close-knit and had a culture of collaboration.
I had a unique challenge: How can I lead but not disrupt the balance that made this teamwork?
I recalled a story of a leader called Darius that I learnt as part of an in-house management development course.
That tale influenced how I approached leadership in this new role and provided lessons that I carried daily.
Leadership Lessons from the Story of Darius
Darius was the head of a tribe that had been compelled to abandon its native land due to a great drought and the incessant wars that had devastated their agricultural lands.
After wandering for months, Darius and his people finally found a fertile new land where a kind king sat on the throne.
But the king was not happy to have them there when they came there.
The thought of increasingly zealous young men and women pouring into his already prosperous kingdom bothered him.
Then the king called Darius and asked him.
“Why should I let your people remain here? What do you provide that my kingdom does not already have?”
The king was concerned, and Darius recognized he needed to plead his case persuasively. He asked for a bowl of milk and sugar in a pot.
The King, wonderfully well pleased and desirous to know what Darius had in his mind, brought the things Darius asked for.
The Wisdom of Sugar in Milk
Darius picked up the bowl of milk and added a spoonful of sugar. He stirred the milk carefully until the sugar fully dissolved.
He then returned the bowl to the king and continued,
“Just like this sugar has dissolved in the milk and has made every drop of milk sweet, my people will also dissolve in your kingdom and sweeten it with our skills, culture and honest work. We won’t inundate or steal your way of life; we will integrate and add to it.”
Darius was wise and intelligent, and the king was pleased with him.
He then understood that Darius and his folk wouldn’t be a burden to his kingdom but rather a boon of establishments.
Welcoming them to stay, Darius’s people became a well-established part of the new land, aiding its progress and riches.
The Initial Impressions: Grasping the Cup Full
Thinking back to Darius’s tale, I understood why my story was held in parallel; here, I, too, was entering a department that seemed like a vessel filled with warm milk to the brim.
The team was already performing well by itself and, rightfully so, was a little cautious about an outsider coming in to run the show.
They had their own style, their own culture, and their own cadence that worked right for them.
They reasoned inwardly,
“Things are not that bad for us; we do not require a new leader.
Knowing that people were feeling this way, I thought that my first course of action was to learn and watch instead of trying to act right away.
Just as Darius had assimilated to the tradition and way of life in his new home, I took time to learn my team, understand their strengths, and gain familiarity with the game.
Getting to Know the Innards of the Bowl
Now, before coming to any conclusions or making any changes, I needed to know exactly what was inside that bowl.
Was it milk, water, or soda? A leader’s journey starts with understanding the people and the organization.
I had to understand the details of this department — its culture, people, strengths, and weaknesses.
This brings me back to what my professor used to say, “What got you here won’t get you there.”
I could relate: my leadership methods from past experiences may not work in this context.
Previously, I had succeeded by being aggressive and getting things done, always pushing for results.
However, I realized that this department prized collaboration and creativity over something more quantitative.
Just like lime, at a minimum, it transforms soda into lemonade or even a dull dish.
But I was putting my foot in a vat of milk; adding lime would just curdle it.
Blending In: The Sugar Dissolving in the Milk
I had a way in mind, but Darius took a step further with the milk and sugar example, and that was my thing. I was going to blend in, like sugar in milk.
Rather than exerting my power, I celebrated what the team did well.
I asked questions, sought their opinions, and made a point of saying I was there to support and minister, not to command and control.
I wanted them to feel like my presence would only enhance what they already had, not replace it.
Success is About Sweet Milk, Not the Sugar
As I got to know them better, I gradually introduced subtle changes that aligned with their work culture and goals, making minimal changes, similar to sugar powder in milk; it dissolves gradually and boosts the flavour.
This helped me gain trust and work together with everyone. Everyone felt they contributed to the project, and it showed.
We had to ask ourselves: Do we want to go out there and celebrate sugar and push our vanilla ice cream onto everyone, or do we want to build a movement that is really focused on impact (we call this sweet milk, not sugar)?
Perhaps the most significant takeaway from Darius places a critical eye upon success.
When the sugar dissolves in the milk, the aim is that people will say, ‘How sweet the milk is,’ rather than ‘How sweet the sugar is.’
Also, like a leader, my purpose was to build a balanced, accomplished team, not to earn accolades for myself.
Many New Leaders need to be perceived as the ‘good sugar’ — the best liked and respected leader.
True success, though, is achieved by the team’s performance with togetherness and organizational success.
The milk is sweeter than the sugar — not the other way around.
This lesson reminded me that my job was to blend in and do everything I could to make sure the attention went to what we accomplished as a team, not to me, a member of that team.
Whatever the change is, it should always be about how the team grows and becomes better, like how milk transforms to sweet, not who made the change.
Reaching Every Corner: Sweetening the Last Drop
In leadership, it’s easy to focus on those closest to you — your direct reports and the people you interact with daily.
However, another lesson from Darius’s story stuck with me: just as sugar sweetens every drop of milk, a leader’s influence should reach every team member, from the frontline employees to the most senior members.
I made a conscious effort to engage with everyone in the department, not just those in key positions.
I spent time with the frontline staff, understanding their challenges and listening to their ideas.
I made sure that everyone felt included and valued.
This approach helped create a sense of unity and shared purpose, where everyone felt they contributed to the department’s success.
Choosing the Right Ingredients: Understanding Before Acting
A key part of my journey was understanding what the department needed most.
I recalled the final lesson from Darius’s story, where he first understood what was in the bowl before deciding what to add.
Similarly, I knew I had to fully grasp the department’s needs, challenges, and culture before making any significant changes.
I realized that what had made me successful in my previous roles — being task-oriented and aggressive — might not work here.
This department valued collaboration and creativity, so I adapted my style accordingly.
Instead of pushing for quick wins, I focused on building relationships and fostering a collaborative environment.
This approach paid off as the team began to trust me and feel comfortable with the changes I introduced.
Balancing Sugar and Lime: Flexibility in Leadership
One of the most profound lessons I learned during this time was the importance of balancing sugar’s sweetness with lime’s sharpness.
In some situations, a gentle approach like sugar is necessary to blend in and sweeten the environment.
However, sometimes, a bit of lime — decisiveness and a willingness to shake things up — is needed to bring out the best in people and situations.
During a critical project, I realized we needed a bit of lime.
Entrenched processes were slowing us down, and we needed a fresh perspective.
I introduced some changes, knowing they might cause initial discomfort but were essential for long-term success.
By balancing my approach and using both sugar and lime when necessary, I was able to lead the department effectively
Reflecting on the Journey: Continuous Learning
Looking back, I realize that stepping into this new leadership role was a journey of learning and adaptation.
Just like Darius, who successfully integrated his people by understanding, blending in, and knowing when to make his presence felt, I, too, learned the importance of empathy, patience, and strategic decision-making.
These experiences taught me that effective leadership is not about imposing one’s will but understanding the environment, blending in where needed, and knowing when to make impactful changes.
As a new leader, whether stepping into a department, a team, or a new organization, remember this: sometimes, you need to be the sugar that sweetens the milk, and at other times, you need to be the lime that adds a bit of Zest.
But most importantly, always take the time to understand what’s in the bowl before deciding what to add.
And remember, the true testament of your leadership is not in how much you stand out but in how much you contribute to making the whole team, the entire organization, a bit sweeter.
