teach yourself out of a job

Leadership starts with you. It starts with you leading you.

The question is, how much time do you spend every day working on yourself?  How much time do you spend on making yourself a better leader?

This is one of the few things that has an exponential return.

The better you are, the better example you set, the better choices you make, the better the projected outcomes.  Not only that, but those around you will reflect back what you put into the world, and by leading better, your followers will take the initiative and lead themselves better.

When I think about leadership, and moving up in an organization, the only way you will move up in your job, or your position, is to teach someone else your position, and have them ready to take over when you move up.

By teaching them your role, you not longer have to do it.  This creates a virtuous organization, where everyone is doing the job above, except for those lowest down on the chart.

They are learning the job, but once they learn the job, they should teach it to someone else, and learn the job above them.  The key is learning, and thus doing what you learn.  To get there, you need to lead, and the key is leading yourself first.

An old saying comes to mind.  From the top down, all you see is smiles.  From the bottom up, all you see is assholes.  Neither are true, if you build your organization right.

Most, if not all people are out for themselves.  And that can cloud their vision.  That can cause problems.  You need to align your incentives around outcomes, and people will do the work because they want to, not because you told them to.

If you put forward an inspiring vision and lead the way, they will work for the greater cause, because it serves their interest too.