Do you consider yourself an outstanding achiever? Have you ever thought to yourself, “If I want it done right, I might as well do it myself?” C’mon, admit it. Most of us have. While that might be a normal and natural thought, it’s not leadership and it discounts what the team can accomplish together. The Colonel used to say, “It’s not about what YOU can do, kiddo. That’s just vanity. Instead, focus on showing others what WE can do together as a team.”
No great thing is ever accomplished entirely alone. Neil Armstrong may have been the first man to walk on the moon, but thousands of people who worked together toward that goal could also claim to have contributed to that accomplishment. Sir Edmund Hillary may have been the first person to reach the summit of Mount Everest, but he would not have gotten there without his Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and hundreds of team members supporting him through the long climb. No NCAA or NBA championship is won alone; no World Series or Super Bowl.
Dad was a huge football fan, and he instilled that passion in me. He believed it was one of the most profound ways to teach life lessons to his daughters. We spent hours in front of the television watching the Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Green Bay Packers of the 1970s and 80s. Football, like most sports, is all about teamwork. It doesn’t matter what any one player can do on their own. What matters is how they are ready to support each other at the right moment. Offense, defense, and special teams – they can only win the game by working together.”
Likewise, in business, no CEO can achieve the mission, vision, and purpose of their organization alone, without the help and support of their managers. Managers need their staff. Staff need each other and their leaders. We’re all interconnected. If we focus only on our own accomplishments and solo efforts to make an impact, we are shortchanging the real potential we have when we come together. If we choose to have a SIGNIFICANT impact, we need to enlist the help of a team and lead them toward a shared goal. This is how we can achieve and find significance at the same time – together.
Read Lauren’s Whitepaper on The Nine Essentials of Significant Leadership.