The High-Potential Leader

3Multiply the Energy and Skills of Those Around You

If you read Chapter 2, you know that hiring great people and putting them in the right jobs can increase your own capacity. Now I want to expand that point: the quality of the people you hire, how well they fit their jobs, and how well they work together determines much of your success and that of your organization. Think of it as a formula when you build your teams: People Quality + Job Fit + Collaboration = Team Performance.

People create strategy. People deliver the numbers. That means if you fall short on the people side, you fall short on business leadership, period. You have to invest considerable time to know and grow people and to integrate their work. You also have to face up to tough decisions about people, including removing those who drain energy from others. Some leaders make judgment calls on people and never look back. As a hipo, you can’t afford to do that. Just because you’ve been allowed to hire and fire doesn’t mean you’re good at it. Work to develop your skills and judgment on the people side. Frankly, some companies undervalue this, but a growing number are making “develops other leaders” a requirement for advancement.

Identify a Person’s God-Given Talent

The best way to power up your organization and your leadership is to improve your skill in judging and developing other people’s talents. This applies to those you work with currently, even if they don’t report to you, and anyone you are considering ...