“You can go fast by yourself, but you can go far with a team.”
You can make decisions very quickly if you’re not relying on anyone else to engage in dialogue with/have healthy debate. BUT, having a team, even though it may temporarily slow you down, will allow you to go farther (as a company) and achieve bigger goals. Having a team allows you to see your blind spots, to think of new ways to approaching problems, to delegate, to systemize, and to work ON your business instead of IN your business. Plus, who wants to be the lone wolf? I’m introverted, but even I enjoy collaborating with others (sometimes).
Judge a person based on their actions, not their words. People can say whatever they want, and often say what they think you want to hear. Don’t have “happy ears” and take them at their word unless they have a proven track record of following through to do what they say. Make them earn that trust first. They have to build up that “trust bank account.” Every time they keep their word or do something honorable/commendable, they are making a deposit into their trust bank account. If they start to be dishonest, untrustworthy, or make questionable moral decisions, they are making withdrawals. If they make too many withdrawals and not enough deposits, they will go bankrupt with your trust bank.
“The most that I can do for my friend is simply be his friend.” – Henry David Thoreau
You have no obligations to do x, y, or z to be considered a good friend. And your friend, if they are truly your friend, should not place unrealistic expectations on you, make you fulfill certain requirements, or check certain boxes to be considered a friend. Work on being supportive, on checking in with them on occasion, and on being happy for them if they are happy or helping them when they need help. It’s that simple.
Gary Vaynerchuk’s illustration of the difference between being a “boss” and being a leader.
You can be a natural leader, where you inspire others to do their best and help the team reach its goals, without being in a leadership position. You can lead with quiet confidence or be outgoing. There are many styles of leadership, and some styles work better depending on the circumstances. For example, you can have a great wartime leader, but in times of peace, that person’s words or actions may not resonate with those whom they are leading. Or you can have a terrific peacetime leader, but when times get tough, their voices may be too soft to motivate others to believe in the cause.
Regardless of the type of leader you are (or you follow), the best leaders typically find ways to help you grow. They don’t do the work for you, but they help by asking you the right questions and letting you find your way.
Bosses, on the other hand, can be leaders or they can be tyrants. Bosses can still get things done over threat of power or anger, but they don’t win any loyalty from their subordinates. In fact, instead of people going above and beyond, they will often only do the bare minimum for a boss. Other than the intrinsically motivated optimist, why should anyone bust their butt for someone who is always the first to blame others when things go wrong, who takes credit when things go right, and who doesn’t treat their employees with respect?
If you are fortunate enough to be promoted, make sure you work to be the best leader you can be and don’t just be another “boss.”
Maximize every ounce of potential you have by focusing on the right things (don’t get distracted by the shiny object), working hard (becoming competent), getting rid of self-doubt (becoming confident in your abilities).
