January 30, 2023

Below is a lesson from Inc on sacrifices the best leaders willingly make for their team, as well as our key learnings.

The Blue Courage team is dedicated to continual learning and growth.  We have adopted a concept from Simon Sinek’s Start With Why team called “Learn, Share, Grow”.  We are constantly finding great articles, videos, and readings that have so much learning.  As we learn new and great things, this new knowledge should be shared for everyone to then grow from.

17 Sacrifices the Best Leaders Willingly Make for Their Team

Leadership is about what you give up, not just what you take on.

BY SCOTT MAUTZ

Part of being a leader is picking the right priorities. Good leaders have a knack for knowing what to take on. Great leaders also know what to give up. True leaders make sacrifices and forego things employees don't, shouldn't, or wouldn't.

I've seen great leaders make many sacrifices over my 30-year career. I've made many myself. I've also seen leaders refuse to give up things that the mantle of great leadership demands they give up. Dismissing such sacrifices often negatively affected their careers.

I share now 17 critical things the best leaders give up, willingly. Give these things up and employees will give you their hearts and minds, willingly.

Continue reading here.

Key Learnings:

•  Great leaders: know what to take on, what to give up, make sacrifices and forego things employees don't, shouldn't, or won't.
• 17 critical things the best leaders give up, willingly:
  1. Self-interest - it's not about you, the leader -- you are a guide to greatness and there to help others become the best version of themselves.
  2. The spotlight - illuminate the work of others while openly demonstrating you didn't need or want the attention.
  3. Credit - look in the mirror when blame's to be had and look away when credit is to be given.
  4. Their time - availability is often the most important thing you can give employees.
  5. Information - don't horde information to hold the power. Give it up freely to empower others.
  6. The need to always be right - be comfortable with yourself that you are willing to be vulnerable and openly wrong.
  7. Their best people - willingly give up your best people to promotions and great career opportunities. Groom employees for it and help facilitate it when the time comes.
  8. Pretenses - be authentic through and through. Provide a nurturing environment, don't shine down on everyone with your fast brilliance.
  9. Control - grant copious autonomy, knowing that it takes work to give away work and investing the time to do it right. Openly trust and empower others.
  10. What gat them there - adapt to your new situations, realizing that not everything that got you to that leadership position should be carbon-copied and carried forward. Know what to emphasize, evolve, and eliminate.
  11. Perfection - perfectionism feeds organizational burnout.
  12. Their ego - leave egos at the door. Take feedback and act on it with humility, knowing there is still much to improve.
  13. Position power - rely on personal power, influencing others with your affability, respectful approach and energy.
  14. The need to dominate discussion - default to intently listening over dominating a discussion. Genuinely value others' opinions and know that giving others your opinion is the opposite of listening.
  15. Biases - you must role model embracing diversity and inclusion. 
  16. Bad habits - bad habits are magnified. Employees take cues from your behavior, good and bad.
  17. The feeling you need to prove yourself - be confident in yourself to not need to showcase your superiority.