The One Leadership Question That Separates Selfish Leaders From Great Leaders
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Stop building your legacy and start building leaders. Many leaders spend too much time thinking about what their own self-interest.
- How much recognition can I receive?
- How much influence can I accumulate?
- How can I become indispensable?
- How can I make sure everyone knows what I contributed?
- How much money can I make?
- Etc., etc, et,…
Great leaders ask a different question:
“What can I inspire others to become?”
Kevin Durant recently offered a powerful perspective on the globalization of basketball that contains an important lesson about leadership. Asked in this interview about the fact that many of the NBA’s best players are no longer American, Durant rejected the idea that this should be viewed as a criticism.
Rather, he said, “Why is that a criticism? Like, our game is global. Everybody plays basketball all around the world, and it’s still expanding in different countries, different places. So, yeah, it’s about time.”
Then Durant made an especially important observation, “Now, the real argument should be who they’re influenced by, and most of these dudes are influenced by Americans. They’re trying to play like us too, and they accomplished it and executed in their own way. All of this stuff is imitation. What can you look at and go imitate on the court? That’s how I got better. That’s how everybody gets better.”
Imitation is evidence of influence.
That should change the way leaders think about their own success. Your greatest accomplishment may not be something you personally accomplish. It may be something someone accomplishes because they watched you.
The leader who only focuses on personal achievement eventually reaches a ceiling. There are only so many hours, decisions, relationships, and responsibilities one person can manage. But the leader who develops people creates multiplication.
Teach people what you know. Model what you value. Give others opportunities to lead. Celebrate when they surpass you. Then help them influence someone else.
The best leaders don’t ask, “How much can I accomplish?” Rather, they ask, “How many people can I help become capable of accomplishing something great without me?”
Your leadership becomes truly valuable when your influence continues multiplying long after your personal contribution is finished.