I recently received an invitation to pinch-hit for a colleague who had a client engagement that required a seminar leader with expertise in team productivity. That colleague turned to me. Although it was somewhat last minute, it was my honor to fly back east for a weekend gig involving a full-day seminar I was to deliver.

To say it was a good experience would be a gross understatement.

My job was to assist the senior executive team by going through a brutally rigorous process helping the team to surface their most critical goals, map out a clear path to reach those goals, and set up various systems and processes to ensure they do not get off-track. I did not know much about their business or industry. But I didn’t have to. Thus, about two-thirds of the time I was firmly in the driver’s seat, facilitating an exacting process and holding their feet to the fire. But a solid one-third of the time, I depended on the executive team to think through their key strategic and tactical issues, talk things through, debate issues, word-smith the rendering of their various goals and other processes. Each iteration brought them closer to “the truth,” and the day closed with a lot of blood and sweat, but an outcome that everyone was pleased with – some profoundly pleased.

I was proud of the work we accomplished that day. It reinforced the fact that I have a talent for bringing out the best in even the most senior teams. I look forward to applying that talent many more times in the years ahead.