“Successful people become great leaders when they learn to shift the focus from themselves to others.”
– Marshall Goldsmith
Clawing your way to the top requires a degree of self-centeredness. Unless you’re the CEO’s son or daughter, in order to get promoted, you’ve probably demonstrated determination and focus, maintained high work standards, and achieved or exceeded your company’s expectations. These are characteristics that people need to get to the top.
However, once you are at the top, it’s not these traits that will keep you there. In his book, “What Got You Here Won’t Keep You There”, Goldsmith writes that people routinely assume that certain traits they’ve relied on to become successful are the same traits that they can rely on to be effective leaders. They couldn’t be more wrong. A highly competitive person will soon realise that one upping your subordinates is a surefire way to create disgruntled staff. Taking all the credit is another one of Goldsmith’s pet peeves. Once you are at the top, your focus needs to shift from reveling in your own success to facilitating your employee’s success. By highlighting staff contributions, sharing credit, and giving everyone else a pat on the back, you’ll create a team that will keep you on top.
For a leader, success boils down to parking your ego and getting your employees fired up. That won’t happen if you act like you already know everything.
