A trait I often see in weak leaders is that they’re afraid to ask for help. They don’t want to be seen as needing help from anyone.
Leading in this way is dangerous. We can’t lead alone.
We must stand on the shoulders of others who have gone before us.
Leading Alone Isn’t Worth It
Leading alone is a bad idea. I hope you know that.
We run into all sorts of trouble when we decide we don’t need anyone else. Emotional turmoil to exhaustion to depression, these are the results of deciding to be a one-man show.
We also run into problems in the area of knowledge.
I built my talents on the shoulders of someone else’s talent.
–Michael Jordan
I know I don’t know everything there is to know about leadership. And, if that’s the case, I know you don’t know everything there is to know about leadership either.
There’s no way any one person can have that kind of knowledge. It just isn’t possible.
And this is what makes leading alone not worth it.
Stand On The Shoulders Of Others
Here’s where the idea of standing on the shoulders of others comes into play.
I’m not saying you’re going to be taking advantage of others. No, no, no. I don’t want you to get that idea.
Rather, by standing on the shoulders of others, you’re building upon the wisdom they’ve bestowed upon you.
What does this look like? It looks like:
You being willing to be mentored by someone wiser than you: We’re not really that smart. We have a limited scope of expertise. But, by standing on the shoulders of a mentor, you can then gain the benefit of the trials and tribulations they’ve gone through. You get the wisdom without the trouble.
You reading great books, listening to inspirational podcasts, and attending courses: Maybe you don’t know of anyone that can mentor you. Don’t be discouraged. You can be mentored and stand on the shoulders of those who have shared their leadership insights through books, podcasts, courses, and more.
You asking great questions: To be honest, one of the reasons I started up The Answers From Leadership Podcast is because I wanted to ask questions of leaders I may not have had the opportunity to otherwise. I know you can’t grow as a leader without being willing to ask questions of other leaders. Once again, this is because they have life and leadership experiences I (and you) don’t have. Pick the brain of a leader today.
Don’t be one of those leaders who refuses to get help. You’ll wind up in a nasty place.
Instead, be willing to suck it up and stand on the shoulders of others. Allow previous leaders and mentors to lift you up to new heights.
Question: Are you standing on the shoulders of other leaders? Why or why not? Let’s share our stories in the comment section below.
Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.