You’ll fail apart from surrounding yourself with talented people. This means:
Great leaders identify and develop great leaders.
One of my favorite Jack Welch quotes is, “The team with the best players wins.”
But, how do you identify the best players?
Look for those who are:
- Already active.
- Frustrated. They look around and don’t like what they see.
- Give voice to complaints and frustrations. Those who won’t say what’s wrong are dangerous.
- Seeking evidence. They say, “Prove it.” Show them what works.
- Grateful for opportunity. They need to matter. Give them purpose and you’ve won their hearts.
- Fearful at first; courageous in the end. Those without fear don’t appreciate the challenges of leading. Small successes fuel courage.
- Passionate. They care deeply.
Frustration:
Frustration indicates they want more. They aren’t satisfied.
Apart from dissatisfaction everything stays the same.
Look for frustration with self and/or frustration with circumstances. I’ll take either. But I prefer both.
Key factor: How future leaders learn to deal with frustration determines success. Some degenerate into whiners others escalate into difference-makers.
Team building:
Team building is perhaps the most challenging and important activity of future leaders. Few are good at it – even fewer seek it. They see themselves at the center, which is fine at the beginning. Exponential success depends on a future leader’s ability to participate in and build teams.
What do you look for in a future leader?