Creating More Leaders

We have to start with the premise that the main role of a leader is to create more leaders, not to gather followers. I have wondered what a difference this would make with organizations if they shifted their mindset away from trying to “make” people do what they are supposed to. The new mindset would be that of helping people learn to lead themselves, then others.

In this world, we are not short on people who like to be in charge of others. We are short on people who want to build others up to be in charge of themselves. I have joked over the last 20 years that my favorite thing about managing people was not needing to manage people. This isn’t to say that I don’t engage with people. I have simply found it much easier to develop the skills of a great manager and leader than it was to chase people around trying to force them to do things.

Great leadership begins with learning to lead yourself. You cannot effectively lead others if you cannot effectively manage yourself. Once you learn to self-regulate, you can invest in teaching your people to do the same. By helping them develop self-discipline, a passion for something bigger than themselves, and a clear path to success, you have equipped them to be great leaders in their own lives.

The positive and lasting impact we make on others is determined by our ability to teach them to lead. I would challenge you to invest in yourself, then offer the lessons learned to your team with a focus on helping them win in life. People will always follow a leader that authentically wants the best for them.