“I used to love the idea of leading. But in reality, it just feels stressful and draining.”
Leadership is a tremendous responsibility with broad implications for the people and organizations we
serve. That responsibility becomes overwhelming when leaders feel like they are carrying the burden alone
instead of building trust, ownership, and support within the team.
Most of us are completely unprepared for the enormous responsibility that comes with leadership.
In many cases we are elevated into leadership roles because of our individual accomplishments rather than
our ability to develop and lead people.
Michael Jordan became a player-coach largely because of his extraordinary basketball abilities. While he was
unquestionably one of the greatest players to ever play the game, he struggled badly as a coach.
And honestly, that is not unusual.
In sports, many legendary players struggle in coaching roles, while the player who sat quietly at the end of
the bench often becomes the exceptional coach.
Why?
Because what got you there is not necessarily what will enable you to succeed at the next level.
The same thing happens every day in organizations.
When you are an individual contributor, success is often measured by personal production, personal effort,
and personal accomplishment.
But leadership changes the equation entirely.
Leadership is no longer about you. It becomes about them.
That is where many leaders struggle.
You cannot possibly carry every responsibility, solve every problem, make every decision, and sustain every
burden yourself.
Just as Michael Jordan could not rebound, defend, and distribute the basketball from the sidelines, leaders
cannot personally perform every responsibility throughout the organization.
At some point, you must trust others.
You must develop their competence. You must build their confidence. You must create ownership within the
team.
Too many leaders approach leadership with an inward mindset. They quietly convince themselves that
everything depends upon them.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Great teams develop when leaders extend trust, responsibility, support, and ownership to the people
around them.
Of course leaders remain accountable for the results of the team. But sustainable success is never created
solely through the individual efforts of the leader.
Most leadership struggles are not talent limitations. They are mindset limitations.
Only when leaders learn to build people, trust people, and develop cohesive teams do they experience the
kind of lasting success they truly desire.
Where are you still trying to go alone today?
And who around you is capable of helping carry the load if you are willing to trust and develop them?
