The Law Of The Inner Circle states that “A persons potential is determined by those closest to him.”
Have you ever been frustrated trying to accomplish something and felt like you were trying to do it all by yourself? Have you ever been faced with a significant challenge and felt like there was no one you could turn to help solve the problem?
We have all been there at some time or another, so how do the big decision maker’s do it? They surround themselves with and inner circle of individuals that are like-minded and fill in the voids in the areas they are weak in. Let’s face it, we all have weaknesses of some kind and we need to be able to compensate for the skills and talents that we don’t have within ourselves.
“You can do what I cannot do. I can do what you cannot do. Together we can do great things” – Mother Teresa
John Maxwell in his The 21 Irrefutable Laws Of Leadership gives us five questions to ask ourselves when considering who to include in our “inner circle”:
1. DO THEY HAVE HIGH INFLUENCE WITH OTHERS?
- Not only do we desire, but we require people around us that get results. The way to get results is to influence or persuade others to help accomplish the mission. Choose people that have the ability to influence or lead others in the right direction.
2. DO THEY BRING A COMPLEMENTARY GIFT TO THE TABLE?
- If it were all left up to us, we would most likely not succeed beyond what can be attained by our own skill set. Choose people that can make things happen by using their own strengths and talents and you keep doing what you do best. Your inner circle should include a team that can cover all the bases.
3. DO THEY HOLD A STRATEGIC POSITION IN THE ORGANIZATION?
- Part of accomplishing goals and reaching objectives is by using your authority in a positive, collaborative way. Make sure that the people in your inner circle have the authority to make the decisions that will provide for the desired outcome.
4. DO THEY ADD VALUE TO ME AND TO THE ORGANIZATION?
- Every organization should have improvement as a constant goal and objective. Your people are both your biggest asset and your biggest liability. Without a doubt, any member of your inner circle should be adding value to others. Developing those around us is the most important part of improving your team. If no one is adding value and developing others, you better become a fan of right were you are, because that is where you will be.
5. DO THEY POSITIVELY IMPACT OTHER INNER CIRCLE MEMBERS?
- Team unity within your inner circle will directly correspond to your success. The idea is that collectively you will be able to accomplish much more than could be achieved individually. Just as we see in sports every day, you can have all the talent in the world but if you can’t work together productively, you will not reach your potential.
Consider these five questions when looking at your inner circle and ask yourself one more question …
“Is this the team that I need to take me or my organization to the next level?”
“You might need to call time out and make a substitution.”
Next Up: Law # 12 – The Law of Empowerment
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Barry Smith www.buildingwhatmatters.com 7/25/12
