[Cross-posted to the Relationship Economics blog]
When I receive Success Magazine in the mail each month, I
usually pick it up with a balance of pride and humility. The magazine,
blatantly named after an aspiration known since the beginning of time,
represents a call to action before you ever open its pages. It takes more than
a subscription to achieve success after all, so I take a keen interest in the
articles focused on leadership – a true indicator of success.
This month’s issue of Success (April 2012) features John C.
Maxwell’s article, “The
Fifth Level of Leadership.” The article highlights the importance of
leaders preparing others for future leadership roles. Maxwell states that
leaders who reach this Pinnacle level
of leadership go through three distinct phases: learn, earn, and return. As
demonstrated in this Bloomberg
Businessweek article, I would submit most organizations fall short of reaching
this level of leadership, losing their way as a result of the rarity of big
staff changes, a predilection for looking to the past, and managing in an era
of CYA.
This “fifth level of leadership” brings to mind a poem by
Marc Smith, “Pull the
Next One Up.”
When you get to the top of the
mountain
Pull the next one up.
Then there'll be two of you
Roped together at the waist
Tired and proud, knowing the
mountain,
Knowing the human force it took
To bring both of you there.
[…]
-Marc Kelly Smith
Organization leaders can embrace succession planning by
keeping the following three things in mind.
1. Make room at the top – Where can you develop and
place people you mentor and develop internally? Do they have a place to go when
they grow within your organization? If you don’t make the room for new roles or
initiatives, you will eventually lose the talent in your organization as
leaders move on to places they can grow.
2.
Develop people so they can succeed without you –
Create your legacy through those in which you invest your leadership equity. Set
aside time each week to develop the leaders around you who will ultimately
succeed you. Plan your legacy.
3.
Stay grounded – Remain teachable and open to
continuous learning opportunities around you. Commit to challenging yourself
and learn something new every day. Look for people around you from whom you
might be able to learn new lessons or skills.
To achieve true
success, you must do more than pay lip service to mentorship and succession
planning. Your work life will be filled with stories of personal victories and
accolades. But the leaders you develop along the way will determine how
successful your efforts really are.
Pick up a copy of
Return on Impact to read more about “Attracting and
Developing Unparalleled Social Talent” or register for the upcoming IMPACT
webinar with guest, Ashley Hodak Sullivan, http://www.relationshipeconomics.net/Impact.html.
