I’m a firm believer that as a leader you are only as good as the people you surround yourself with. Surround yourself with great people (who are a good fit to your culture and environment) and you are on the road to success. Yet, I regularly see leaders who want to be the center of it all. They feel like they need to be the smartest ones in the room. Instead of sharing information, they withhold it thinking it gives them power. They let their egos and/or insecurities get in the way. They fail to invest in their team because they are afraid that that if their team members look too good, they will look bad (e.g., stupid, not knowledgeable, less skilled). As it turns out, they end up “looking bad” because the team isn’t as successful as it could be. And they only have themselves to blame.
So have you surrounded yourself with top talent? Those that bring knowledge, skills, abilities, and are a good fit with you, the team, and the organization? If not, some quick tips:
• Let go of the ego
• Shed the insecurities
• Make others look good
• Give the credit to others (or at least share the credit)
• Talk “we” not “I”
• Let go of the need for control
• Look for talent everywhere at all times (not just when you have a need or an opening)
Tags: Beyond the Jargon, Calibra, culture, Diane Hamilton, talent, Team Dynamics
