How would you respond to the question “Why is it important to be a leader?” Many people view leadership the same way they view success. We want to go as far as we can, climbing the corporate ladder, trying to achieve the highest position possible in the business we work in. John Maxwell in his The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership says-
“I believe the bottom line in leadership isn’t how far we advance ourselves but how far we advance others. That is achieved by serving others and adding value to their lives.”
There are many responsibilities of a leader; encouragement, direction, vision and communication to name a few but ask yourself this question – Am I making things better for the people who follow me?
The Law of Addition, when implemented, will allow your people to achieve more, become more loyal, and will allow them to be more successful at getting things done than they ever thought possible. Consider it this way, you as a leader have a specific set of goals, either personally or professionally. Likewise, those that follow you have their own set of goals. When we combine efforts to help each other reach our goals, not only do we achieve them quicker but the compound effect of collaboration will generally result in achieving things that were not even part of the original picture.
As a leader, we need to be willing to invest in others to help them achieve their goals. Zig Zigler says this-
“If you first help people get what they want, they will help you get what you want.”
By helping others develop the skills needed for advancement and fulfillment, we not only help them to better themselves, but increase the strength of the circle around us. Look at any successful person and you will most likely find a strong support staff around them.
So what is it that we need to do to add value to others in their desire to achieve more? I would suggest that we need to shift the focus off ourselves and onto them. This may not be easy or comfortable at first, but when we see the results of our influence on those around us and feel the effect of their improvements in self-confidence, competence and desire to improve themselves we are developing a leader for the future and at the same time, improve the strength of our own network.
The legacy we leave will be represented by the difference we made in the lives of others. I would encourage you to start thinking about the people you care about most or spend the most time with and intentionally make an effort to add value to their lives in helping them reach their potential as a person and as a leader. Speaking for myself, I want to be remembered as someone who made a difference. How will you be remembered?
Next Up: Law #6 – The Law Of Solid Ground
Barry Smith www.buildingwhatmatters.com 6/13/12
