There is an old saying, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to far, go together.” I clearly have matured in my own journey because frankly, the “if you want to go fast” portion of the saying describes the first half of my career wonderfully. But I was an individual contributor to my employer at that time.
As my career progressed into more responsibility and leadership, it was no longer about how fast I could go; it was how fast I could help others go. If you have never experienced that level of slowdown, trust me; it is a whole new way of thinking, doing, being accountable, and being rewarded. Textbooks and old people’s stories have well documented the ruining of many good people as they have progressed upward in their careers. Think how many times a great salesperson was promoted to sales leader and failed miserably. We all have seen it, lived it, or done it.
I was fortunate enough in my career to lead teams and do some great things. My secret to success? Knowing what I didn’t know. I am not the strongest financial guy, nor IT guru, or even a great strategist for that matter. But I am really good with people. When I honestly looked at myself and the gaps I bring to an organization, my success was clearly dependent on those I surrounded myself with. Give me the best accountant, operations, IT and HR person, and together as a team, we will go far. We may not have traveled fast, but the road behind us was left paved, well traveled, and secure in its foundation for others to follow.
Now as a mentor, I once again travel with a team of experts that call on personally or on behalf of my clients so that none of us have to travel alone. And… we still go far.