At first glance, this post may seem to be unnecessary. After all, the web is full of leadership tips and advice. There have been entire books written on leadership and on developing leaders. I know. I’ve read a good many of them myself. But in my many years of working both in the church and in the secular marketplace, I’ve seen very few people actually lead leaders well. Most people who have leadership skills have no trouble at all leading followers. And of course, if you don’t have followers, you’re not much of a leader, are you? But leading leaders is a different animal altogether. If you are a leader, you generally have an unspoken expectation that you possess more leadership skills than those who follow. But that isn’t necessarily true when leading leaders.
Tom Peters says “Leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders. Leading leaders will take you much further than simply leading followers. Leading followers adds to your abilities as a leader. Leading other leaders doesn’t add to those abilities, it multiplies your abilities. When dealing with leaders, they will think much like you do, they will have the judgement and strategical thought process that you have. They are able to see the big picture. And they care. Here are some tips for leading others who are capable of leadership as well.
- Recognize their potential contributions. Let’s face it, there are some people who possess certain skills and abilities greater than yours. Certainly not everyone. You’re in the position that you hold for a reason. But leaders possess certain problem-solving skills that followers don’t have. Recognizing that there are people who can lead beside yourself is the first step. Give them credit for their strengths.
- Increase the responsibility that you delegate. Not everyone starts out at the highest level of leadership. As you incrementally increase the amount of responsibility that you delegate, their leadership skills will also improve.
- Delegate authority, not just responsibility. Allow others to make decisions regarding the process. Millennials especially want the ability to give input into the decision-making that goes into leading. Ask yourself: Can I become a part of a team where I do not have the final authority? If you cannot answer “Yes” to that question, you are not ready to lead leaders.
- Lead them. This sounds counterintuitive to the previous point, but what I mean is that you should take responsibility for their growth as a leader. Emulate what leadership is. Be an example. Leadership is about developing people, not jus accomplishing goals. Take responsibility for their development as a leader.
- Recognize them. Give them recognition for their accomplishments. Show your appreciation. As you elevate them, you will elevate yourself in their eyes as well. This actually is counterintuitive, but it’s true. As they become more confident in their abilities, they will be able to lead and influence others better.
Many leaders are uncomfortable leading leaders because they fear that the other leader will look better than they do. This is called insecurity. The best leaders don’t simply lead followers. They lead other leaders. Take a step out of the ordinary leadership role and lead, develop and grow other leaders.
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