Field Notes

The best leaders are highly motivated to help others succeed. 

The satisfaction they receive when others reach their potential and achieve great outcomes drives much of what they do as leaders. 

They are as proud of the accomplishment of those they lead as they are of their own performance and results. 

We would like to think that just about all leaders, coaches, and teachers share this fundamental motivation. 

Regrettably, that is not the case. 

Because some leaders are focused on their own work and careers, view colleagues as competitors, or fail to find fulfillment in lifting others up, many leaders give scant attention to growing the talents of others. 

But ask a great leader about their performance and they are more likely to point to the accomplishments of their team members than they are to their own outcomes. They will tell you the greatest compliment they can receive as leaders is to watch people they have nurtured and developed go on to do extraordinary things. 

So, what motivates some leaders to be so driven to help others succeed? Research on the topic would suggest the motivation to elevate others toward success is highly correlated with compassion and empathy for people in general. 

Those leaders with strong relationship skills and social intelligence are more likely to invest in the success of others and find satisfaction in their accomplishments. 

But helping others succeed has benefits for leaders as well, and they know it. Leaders and organizations with the reputation for developing the skills, talents, and acumen of others and cheering for their success attract talent. The most talented team members want to work and learn from them. 

Once they arrive, team members quickly build trusted relationships with leaders who have a passion for coaching them up. Those who work with a leader motivated to help them succeed treat feedback as a gift rather than as a bee sting. 

They work harder and longer for leaders who take the time to develop their talents and take a keen interest in their career success. As a result, team members contribute innovative ideas and take calculated risks that improve team performance. 

The motivation to help others succeed may start with personal values and character strengths, but leaders soon learn that there are mutual benefits to investing in team member development. 

Great leaders make it an ethic to help others reach their full potential. At the core, it’s what defines exceptional leadership and followership 

In the words of Martin Luther King: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” Those are the words, thoughts, and actions of great leaders. 

If talent attracts talent, then leaders who invest in talent development attract those most interested in that investment, which is the highest talent in any field. Not a bad deal for everyone involved.