The Highest Calling Of Leadership

"The growth and development of people

is the highest calling of leadership."

-- Harvey S Firestone

What are some of the ways of helping the development and growth of people in an organization? Here are some thoughts:

Leaders are readers. Lead by example by being a reader and a life-long learner. I don't need to know everything, but I want to continue learning and expanding my own knowledge and thereby share that passion with my team and others around me. I know how much of a difference it has made in my life and I know how much of a difference it will make it others as well.

Micro-managing is an ego trip and it stifles growth. Learn how to delegate and trust and have more patience. This is a challenge for many. It is easy to do a thing myself, and certainly easier than trying to teach someone else to do it or wait until they are up to speed, but I realize I can't do it all and if I keep doing it all, the company cannot grow.

Don't tell people how to do everything. Give them basic guidelines and let them use their creativity and skills to do it better than I might do it. We have graphic designers and the less instruction I give them, the better the product they produce. I love to see people do it better than me. It helps me grow and it helps them grow.

Challenge people to solve problems. Let your team help you solve problems.

Praise and encouragement is high on the list of things that motivate me, so I use them in the same way to help uplift team members.

This is certainly not a complete list, and I'm sure you can add to it. I hope some of these ideas are beneficial to your growth and that of your team.

A healthy, growing company requires healthy, growing people.