If you are in a leadership role, this article is for you. If you want to be a mentor to your team, not just a boss who provides general instructions; if you want to be a leader to follow, rather than an authority to comply with—someone who
is trusted, someone people turn to with hard questions. An inspiration, a role model, and the first person to turn to when things get heated and backup is needed. Someone who makes a difference by helping others learn and feel good about themselves when they do something great. But if you prefer to criticize, create a fear-driven working atmosphere, and cling to your position
because you are afraid of being replaceable, then keep scrolling.
Table of Contents
(Not) Irreplaceable
We’ve discussed before the importance of teamwork and development in the corporate world here , but this is not just about a competitive mindset among peers. What might prevent you from being the leader everyone enjoys working with could be your own inability to let go. Are you scared someone might be better than you? Would you think less of yourself if you were replaced? Well, I’ve got news for you: nobody is irreplaceable. Beyoncé says, “…I can have another you by tomorrow.” Your world will not collapse if you
don’t have that job title you love so much by next week. At least, it shouldn’t.
Passing the Torch
Do yourself a favor and don’t wait until you’re unable to work to delegate tasks. Someday you will want to take a vacation, or you might get sick and need rest for a day or two. Even traveling for work with long hours at the airport or on the plane, with poor connectivity, could be a challenge. Train your team to be like clockwork, with or without you. Days, months, and years go by, and everyone needs a break. There are so many learning activities and mentoring opportunities daily—there’s no excuse not to share your knowledge.
Imprint – Selfless Bosses
I’m lucky to have had at least three direct supervisors who were incredibly important throughout my career. One taught me to stay calm in stressful situations because panicking solves nothing. Another appreciated my efforts so much that he gave me the confidence to excel at any task. And another showed me how to have fun and enjoy my role as I grew into it. I consider them all friends even years after working together. They are the ones who guided my way to where I am today, and still provide counsel, without any benefit to themselves, other than my forever friendship, of course. Thankfully, there are very few I remember as a complete nightmare. Unfortunately, not everyone knows
what being true and kind means.
A Win-Win Situation
I assure you, if you take less on yourself and trust those you have trained and mentored to do their jobs right, you will feel comfortable spending more time focusing on improving yourself. Not only as a career goal but also as a life learning experience. Your career path is as important as theirs. Your success journey is built by being a hard worker, but also a good collaborator, a better example, and even a much better person.
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