The 1st Rule of Leadership - It's not about you.

Leadership is a hot topic these days. Events of the last few years have placed a spotlight on leadership, often due to the perceived lack of it. Pandemic, politics, the great resignation, global unrest, the list goes on. These have all formed a critical mass around our understanding of leadership and what that means.

There is plenty of information about being a better leader; generally, the data fall into predictable categories. Vision, engagement, metrics, empowerment, communication, and empathy are all agreed-upon components of good leadership. And yet, as the polling organization Gallup has found, every year, people leave companies and move to other companies. The chief reason for this exodus is predominantly to leave a poor leader.

Why is this concept so difficult? As the picture suggests, nothing in nature questions what leadership is. No one doubts that those cubs trailing that lioness will be mighty hunters someday and contribute to the success of the pride. This is how I want to frame our subsequent few explorations of leadership; like this lioness, leadership is not about her as much as it is about how successfully her cubs achieve their role in ensuring pride's survival. So too, with leadership in any endeavour, success is measured not in terms of the leader's achievements but in the accomplishments and behaviours of their followers.

The first rule of leadership is taking the focus off you and placing it on your team. You may have the title but won't have it long if the team does not deliver. Unfortunately, we have many examples of leaders who are too willing to sacrifice their teams to preserve their role rather than sacrifice for their team to ensure their success.

We all know who the good leaders are in a company. Often they come without a title but carry a tremendous amount of influence. In my years of leadership development, I cannot recall a single company that did not have that individual who consistently put themselves out there for their peers, lending a hand, providing encouragement, and meeting a need. When challenges arose, these individuals were often the first to be sought out. Why? Because they demonstrated, they cared about their team.

It is a blessed convergence when this selfless, giving kind of leadership comes with a title. I know of many companies formed around the character of a leader who sets an example of giving to their teams and setting them up for success. Good comes their way because of the good to do for their team.

So put your brand of compassion on your leadership and ask yourself, what does my team need? How can I set them up for success? Who are they, and what are their needs? Start there; remember, it is not about you.