Do humble leaders struggle?
When I was growing up, my dad would occasionally take me to the manufacturing plant where he worked. I thought he oversaw the whole company because everyone at the company knew him by name, and he knew them by name. It didn’t matter if it was the security guard at the front gate, the receptionist, the janitor, every worker on the floor or the “bosses” in their offices.
When my dad explained that he was only in charge of a few things in the company, not the whole thing, I asked why everyone knew him. He explained to me that it took every person in the company to produce the “widget” the company made. He impressed on me that it didn’t matter what a person did for the company, they were all important people that deserved to be known and appreciated.
That lesson made a lasting impact on me.
I understand accomplishing anything is impossible without the help of others. Success is always a result of many people doing many things. Each a person has a part, big or small, that is required and important. A machine requires all cogs (parts) aligned and turning in the correct direction or the machine simply does not produce the correct result. Meaning, like a machine needs all its cogs, a team, needs all its people to produce.
This belief has strongly shaped my leadership mindset. Sometimes my contribution is big, sometimes my contribution is small, but my success has always required others. I strive to understand my role in a team and execute that role to help others produce the correct result.
When I coach managers on specific people issues and they use my coaching successfully, they succeed, not me.
When I train salespeople and sales leaders on topics and they learn to be successful, that’s their success, not mine.
When I work with business leaders to align mindset with company values and they do, the whole company grows and wins, not just me.
When I work with salespeople to close a large deal, I was just a cog in the process. Again, their success, not mine.
Even when I started, ran and sold my own company, I had the broad support of so many family members, mentors, customers and colleagues. There is no way that success was achievable without all the help and support along the way.
As a leader, the single thing I can claim 100% ownership of is the failure of myself of the team. After all, the buck stops with the leader.
Today, as I am seeking new opportunities, I find myself struggling with one of my core leadership beliefs. My resume is full of successes that I led and/or initiated. I have done countless things in my career that have been highly impactful, but I don’t feel it’s truthful to say “I” did that.
I forwarded my resume to a sales leader I respect and trust for review. I received feedback that I needed to be more focused on myself and less focused on team success. The logic is sound, as I am “selling” myself to perspective employers. I am still struggling with this concept, as I know success always takes more than just one person.
I am not looking for specific resume advice here, just a conversation around presenting personal success within teams in an honest way.
I am sure others have successfully navigated this issue. What’s the LinkedIn universe’s opinion on this?