“Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.”—Jack Welch
Finding and getting the right people to work for you is an essential skill in leadership. Whether you are an entrepreneur or leading any other type of group or organization, getting the right people with the appropriate skills to contribute to the mission is crucial. And it isn’t the easiest skill to develop.
Having an eye for talent and getting that talent to bloom is what separates great leaders from others. After all, leadership is all about how you can help your people realize their potential.
In order to successfully cultivate other people’s potential, you need to examine your mindset on how you view these people. Do you value your people and their skills? Do you believe in these people? Do you have a vision for how they can contribute to the mission while becoming better versions of themselves?
The key to finding untapped potential is to believe in your people and see them for who they really are. Realizing that potential lies in how well you can communicate that trust and belief to them and how much you can challenge and inspire them to grow from there.
It involves investing in that potential and equipping them with all the tools they will need to wield it. Creating opportunities for learning and active contribution, not just to the tasks at hand, but to the overall purpose and mission of the organization, is important in empowering them.
That means open and consistent communication, taking the time or resources to coach them; giving them opportunities to challenge themselves and stretch beyond what they thought they were capable of; and giving constant and productive feedback to help them reflect on their progress and growth.
It also means giving them rewards for their successes and hard work and showing them how to get back up after failing.
The best way to inspire and motivate people to improve is by giving them a goal they can identify with and feel confident contributing to.
And it doesn’t end with helping them realize their potential. When leaders trust and value their people, they are motivated to rise to the challenge and expectations of the leader who believes in them.
That’s why I make it a point to really encourage my team to become the best versions of themselves by focusing on their strengths and taking the time to listen to and follow up with them. When you make people feel valued, they also feel empowered to raise the bar and step out of their comfort zone.
And as Justin Trudeau said, “Leadership should be focused on extending the ladder of opportunity for everyone.”
Thank you for reading A Brilliant Tribe.
