Perhaps the most defining attribute of a true leader is his or her ability to make people better. This characteristic separates great leaders from good leaders.

Making Others Better, Makes You Better

On a team, if each member reaches their potential and is the best they can be, the entire team is better for it and gets closer to reaching its potential. It's simple isn’t it? If you put in the effort to make others better, it will reflect upon you, and reflect better upon you as a leader.

Many people, in their jobs or everyday life, compete with others. What I mean is, people fear others becoming better than they are. It’s very common. People don’t go out of their way to help, train, teach, challenge, and draw out the best in others in fear that this person will then replace them. In reality, this is a misconception. Actually, the opposite is true. If you help, train, teach, challenge, and draw out the best in others, it makes you better. That initiative and caring to help others is the definition of leadership. Making others better makes you better.

As John C. Maxwell says, if your people shine brightly, it reflects positively on you. Not only will the person you helped have a deeper respect and appreciation for you, but it builds your foundation and reputation as a leader. Others will take notice of your leadership. They will see that you did go out of your way to help someone.

Organization Over Individual

As John C. Maxwell says, if your people shine brightly, it reflects positively on you. Not only will the person you helped have a deeper respect and appreciation for you, but it builds your foundation and reputation as a leader. Others will take notice of your leadership. They will see you go out of your way to help someone, even though it may mean that person is better than you at something. It’s ok to train someone to have the same skills as you. It won’t make you any worse or less valuable. It actually makes you more valuable since you show the ambition to grow yourself and others. After all, the most important thing in the eyes of a leader is the growth and development of the organization, its vision, and its people.

For example, imagine you’re the leader of a company and lead a staff of twenty people. As the top leader, you can’t worry about problems and challenges that come up hour-by-hour and day-by-day because you would never be able to do your job of directing your company. How do you stay focused on what’s most important? You empower your staff. Find your leaders and train them to lead. Any way to add value to your organization is a net gain. The ultimate goal is to have the company and everyone involved grow.