Helping Others Grow and Succeed

     So far there have been six articles posted. I started with “Foundation of Leadership” which highlighted how humility is a critical characteristic of being a leader. I then discussed “Ethics and Leadership” and how ethical behavior is nothing more than how you make people feel. I then proceeded to write about “Difficult Decisions” and how they are a part of any organization and have to be made. I noted that when dealing with difficult decisions you have to be consistent and have compassion. I then brought forth the idea that to “Motivate your Team” you have to exude positive energy. Next was “Knowing your Top, Middle, and Bottom.” This concept as Jack Welch stated “clarifies business and makes it run better in every way.” Finally I discussed “Hiring” and how critical it was to invest the time and effort to increase the probability of hiring the right candidate. As you may have noted, the common denominator in all of these concepts has been people.
     As you will see, most of my articles will have this correlation. The reason for this is because no matter what leadership principle or concept you apply to management – it will always involve people. Unless you are in an underground bunker and have zero engagement with the rest of the world you will in one way or another have to deal with people. As a leader, dealing with people is your primary responsibility. So the question for today is. Do you want to deal with people? Do you want to deal with smart, not so bright, lazy, overly excited, stubborn, suck ups, or just plain normal people? If you are in a leadership role now or will be soon – you have to know the answer to this question.
     When the former CEO of GE was asked what legacy he hopes to leave behind he said, “If there is anything I would like to be remembered for it is that I helped people understand that leadership is helping other people grow and succeed. “ He went on to add, “To repeat myself, leadership is not just about you. It’s about them.”
     Every interaction with an employee has to be viewed from the perspective of how can I help this individual grow and succeed. Of course there will be employees that exhaust your commitment to helping them succeed and you have no choice but to remove them from their role. But until you arrive at this point – your goal has to be to help them grow and learn from every situation. Jack Welch in the quote above stated “…leadership is not just about you. It’s about them.” I agree with this notion but I want to point out a selfish side. I’m not proud of my selfishness but as a leader I understand that if I help my team grow and succeed – I will grow and succeed. As I mentioned in “Foundation of Leadership,” without the people working for you, you will no longer be able to function.
     So why is it that when employees do, ask, or forget something outside of our expectations we get frustrated? We make statements like, “I would never do that.” Or, “why can’t they just do what I tell them.” Well, if every employee did exactly what they are suppose to and every employee did it the exact way it is suppose to be done – what are you there for? Why would your organization invest thousands of dollars in your salary and benefits if every employee underneath you was self managed? I’m grateful for these people. I’m grateful that I have an opportunity to interact with lots of different individuals with unique strengths and perspectives. I appreciate the opportunity to learn from them and apply what I learn to others. Jack Welch says, “BUSINESS IS ABOUT PEOPLE. In fact, life is only people – family, friends, colleagues, bosses, teachers, coaches, neighbors. At the end of the day, it is only people that matter.” With regards to leadership I couldn’t agree more. I would however add one more to the list – God. So do your best to change your perspective and look forward to helping others grow and succeed. That’s what leaders do!