The Greatest Leadership Principle – Raising Up the Next Guy, Part 2
In our last blog, we discussed three reasons why leaders might not want to “raise up the next guy,” or prepare the lieutenants in your organization to lead with the same values, work ethic, and goals that you possess.
Fortunately, many modern leaders and crafters of leadership thought understand the value behind raising up the next guy(s), and have charted a course for the young and inexperienced leaders of tomorrow to follow. The following three items help identify why raising up the next guy or gal is beneficial for you, your team, and your company:
1. Raising up the next guy increases loyalty inside your organization.
This is the direct counterpoint to the third reason from the previous article (which stated that some leaders hold the next guy down for fear of being surpassed by him or her). Raising up the next guy (or gal) allows your team to see you actively and personally shatter the glass ceiling, which inspires hope, camaraderie, and loyalty among your people. Witnesses to the transition of the next guy begin to think, "That could be me next time.” Leaders that make a habit of publically endorsing their lieutenants show that they have their egos properly harnessed, value team over individual, and are on the lookout for drive and talent in their own organizations.
Please note: raising up the next guy can also inspire jealousy and infighting if it is handled poorly or if the process is not communicated well. When the time comes to raise up the next guy – especially if he or she is selected from a small group of relative equals – make sure the rest of the group and the rest of the organization knows why that individual was selected, and use their selection as an opportunity to encourage the rest of the team.
2. Raising up the next guy increases your effectiveness inside your organization.
The best leaders in the world are still just one person, and even though one person can make a world of difference, just think how much difference two – or three or four! – of you could make. Training up the next guy – again, provided you do it the right way – effectively clones you and ensures there are multiple people in your office capable of casting a winning vision, closing a critical sale, stamping out a rising conflict, etc.
3. Raising up the next guy increases your legacy outside your organization.
In his book, “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership,” John Maxwell writes that, “A leader’s lasting value is measured by succession. Your succession is based in the legacy you want to leave.” If you are a true leader, odds are that you got into business as much to hone and hand down a philosophy as you did to make a profit. You feel like you have something to say to the world at large and rather than pound the pulpit or run for local office, you chose to espouse that message through your organization. You have something to pass on, a legacy to leave, and your organization and your “next guys” are the vehicle to do that. Training them with your core values – occupational, financial, relational, and ethical – plants a seed that will live long after you’re gone.
On his leadership blog, Maxwell recounts a story about a founding father and former President George Washington. The story says that King George III of England asked his court painter, an American named Benjamin West, what Washington planned to do with himself after the Revolutionary War. Washington had just led the Continental Army to victory over the mighty British Empire, and could have ridden that glory to a kingship in the Americas if he had so desired, Maxwell said, but General George wasn’t that kind of leader. “They say he will return to his farm,” West said. “If he does,” replied King George, “he will be the greatest man in the world.”
Both King George and General George knew that hording the power that was within Washington’s reach was a mistake. He had been remarkably successful in leading a fledgling nation to independence, but Washington knew that others would have to step in to lead behind him for the young country to thrive.
As a leader, who are the “next guys” you are actively raising up? Imparting your values, experience, and work ethic to a trusted lieutenant speaks volumes about you as a leader and about the type of organization and legacy you want to leave behind. Raising up the next guy or gal is the highest calling of your leadership career; will you answer that call?
Joseph “Bud” Haney serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Profiles International. After his baseball career, he worked for an international human resources development company in several executive roles before becoming its president. In addition, he is a coauthor of the best-selling business guide 40 Strategies for Winning in Business and the book, Leadership Charisma, written to help people harness their personal and professional charisma to improve their business and careers.