Have you ever wondered, “How did THAT person get promoted?”
A leader, let’s call him Sam, was thought to be intelligent, quick-witted and with a pervasive understanding of every aspect of the business.
But there was one decision no one could understand. Sam kept a manager in place who consistently made poor decisions, struggled to communicate and simply did not represent the firm well.
Everyone saw it…except, apparently, Sam. For months, his people assumed he just hadn’t noticed. Then they figured he was giving the manager another chance.
Eventually, they reached a far more uncomfortable conclusion. Maybe this wasn’t an oversight at all. Maybe it was a preference. Maybe Sam didn’t want the strongest people around him. Maybe he wanted the safest.
One of the seasoned employees summed it well when he said:
“A’s hire A’s and B’s hire C’s.”
Secure leaders aren’t intimidated by talented people. They’re strengthened by them.
That experience changed the way I looked at leadership because I realized something bigger was happening.
The people we intentionally keep around us don’t just influence who we become…they reveal who we already are.
Jim Rohn famously said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”
Whether the number is actually five isn’t important. The principle certainly is.
Most of us believe we’re independent thinkers.
We assume our attitudes are our own…our standards are our own…even our habits are our own.
But think about the conversations you hear every day…the people you laugh with…the people who constantly complain…the coworker who drains you…the one who encourages you.
Every one of them is quietly shaping the person you are becoming.
There will always be people in our lives we don’t get to choose.
But many of our closest influences are choices.
So, choose intentionally.
Look at the people you intentionally surround yourself with.
Do they…
- dream big?
- think positively?
- encourage others?
- discuss ideas?
- energize the people around them?
- practice gratitude?
Or do they…
- think small?
- focus on problems?
- discourage others?
- talk about people?
- drain everyone’s energy?
- believe the world owes them something?
Here’s an even better question.
Who do you become after spending an hour with them?
Do you think about these qualities with:
- every hiring decision?
- every promotion?
- every friendship?
- every mentor or coach?
- every networking group?
Each one is shaping your future.
Now let’s look in the mirror.
When people spend an hour with you, do they leave more hopeful, courageous and energized?
Or do they leave more cynical, anxious and discouraged?
That’s influence.
Insecure people often surround themselves with people who make them feel comfortable.
Secure leaders intentionally surround themselves with people who make them better.
So, here’s the question:
If someone looked at the people closest to you, what would they conclude about the leader you’re becoming?
