Society has programmed us to remember the names of leaders for their exceptional achievements. But who do these leaders remember when they reflect on those same achievements?
Of the many leadership quotes, here are a few to provide insight into the above question.
- “A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.” – Lao Tzu
- “No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself, or to get all the credit for doing it.” – Andrew Carnegie
- “Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.” – Sam Walton
- “To lead people, walk behind them.” – Lao Tzu
- “Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people.” —Steve Jobs
Here are 10 questions leaders can ask themselves when considering their team focus. The questions are only of value if you answer from your heart without shielding yourself from the truth.
- Who are you proud of when things go well?
- Who does your heart ache for when things don’t go well?
- Where has your focus been when the work was being done?
- Are you doing everything you can to make your team successful?
- Do your team members feel like they are adding exceptional value?
- Are you developing and supporting a team of leaders or experts?
- Are you the first to identify and address a weakness in the team?
- Does your team achieve more together, than they could individually?
- What is your ratio of using “I”, “we” and ”they” when describing accomplishments?
- What is your ratio of using “I”, “we” and ”they” when describing mistakes?
It’s surprising how much runway we can see for personal growth when we reflect with complete honesty.
