Leadership is Not About You—And That’s the Whole Point
I once had a boss who thought leadership meant barking orders and showing everyone who’s in charge. Spoiler alert: He wasn’t a great leader. His team did what they were told, but no one was inspired. No one gave their best. They just… did the job.
Compare that to another leader I worked with—let’s call him Raj. He ran a tech team that handled high-pressure product launches. Raj never raised his voice, never micromanaged, and never took credit for the team’s wins. Instead, he made one thing clear: his job was to make sure his team had what they needed to succeed. And guess what? That team delivered results every single time.
Leadership is Service, Not Status
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A lot of people think leadership is about having power, making big decisions, and being the smartest person in the room. But real leadership? It’s about making your people better. It’s about setting them up for success—even if it means they get more credit than you.
I remember a software implementation project where the project manager (PM) had two options: take all decisions himself or empower his team. He chose the second route. Instead of micromanaging, he gave the developers, designers, and testers full ownership of their areas. When issues popped up, he didn’t dictate—he asked, “How do you think we should solve this?” The result? The team felt ownership. They worked harder, solved problems faster, and delivered a better product.
Listening is Your Superpower
Here’s a simple truth: people will work harder for someone who listens to them. It sounds basic, but most leaders are terrible listeners.
At one company, a CTO was struggling with high turnover. His best engineers kept quitting, and he couldn’t figure out why. So, instead of guessing, he did something radical—he listened. He held one-on-one meetings, not to talk, but to ask, “What’s frustrating you?” The feedback poured in. They were overworked, the processes were broken, and they felt undervalued.
The CTO didn’t argue or make excuses. He fixed the processes, adjusted workloads, and made sure his engineers knew they mattered. Within six months, retention stabilized. Why? Because leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about listening and acting.
Take the Hits, Give the Credit
The best leaders I’ve ever worked with had one thing in common: they protected their teams. When things went wrong, they took responsibility. When things went right, they gave the credit away.
I worked with a product manager who always shielded his team from unnecessary drama. When a major release had issues, he took full responsibility in executive meetings. But when the next release was a success? He made sure every single team member got recognized. That built trust. His team knew he had their backs, so they went the extra mile for him.
Bad leaders do the opposite. They throw their teams under the bus when things go south and take all the glory when things go well. That kind of leadership doesn’t last. People won’t follow a leader who only looks out for themselves.
Leadership is About Them, Not You
If you take one thing from this, let it be this: Leadership isn’t about you—it’s about them. Your job is to make your team successful. To give them the support, clarity, and motivation they need. When you do that, they’ll work harder than you ever imagined—not because they have to, but because they want to.
So, if you’re in a leadership role (or want to be), ask yourself: Am I leading for me, or for them? The answer to that question will define the kind of leader you become.
What’s the best leadership lesson you’ve learned? Drop a comment below!