Adding Value to Others Leads to Success

"Leaders Add Value by Serving Others"

--John Maxwell

Many leaders view leadership the same way that they view success. They hope to go as far as they can to achieve the highest position that they can. Many times people do whatever it takes in the process, no matter who or what is negatively impacted.

The Law of Addition suggests otherwise.  John Maxwell quotes, "I believe the bottom line in leadership isn't how far we advance ourselves but how far we advance others."  Valuing relationships is the foundation of leadership. 

All relationships either add to or subtract from a person's life. If you can't readily say "yes, I add to others' lives"--then you may be a subtractor. I think people subtract from others unintentionally. They really don't realize their negative impact on others. It happens because we are naturally selfish.
 
We need to become intentional about valuing and adding to others, because if we are subtractors and don't change, the subtraction can turn into division or maybe misconception. 

I remember a time I evaluated a staff member. I always asked them if there was anything in my leadership style that they are were not excited about. Most of the time I didn't like the answer, because it required change in me. This time was different. She told me that she noticed that I had been taking more time to come out of my office to just come and mingle. She said that made it easier for everyone to check in with me and she felt like I cared more. 

Okay. I had an open door policy to my office, but somehow it served them better if I came out of my little hovel to them. I had no idea.

How can you make things better for the people who follow you?  Better yet, how can you add value to those that are closest to you? For me, sometimes that is the most difficult.

Make adding value to others part of your lifestyle. That's what it takes to become a leader whom others want to follow. "Leaders find a way for the team to win." John Maxwell

Leaders make things better for the team. Team members are excited to play the game, whatever that is in your organization, because the team knows that the leader has done everything that they can to enable the team to win.