Leadership guru John Maxwell is a master at developing other leaders. He has made it a life mission and has done more for the development of others than virtually anyone else. In The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership (1998) he states, “You will go to the highest level only if you begin developing leaders instead of followers.” He explains this in another of his books, Developing Leaders Around You (1995), when he states, “Leaders who do not develop people will one day find themselves hitting a wall in their success. No matter how efficient and strategic they are, eventually they run out of time.” I understand this firsthand each time I embark on another large project. There is no way I could pull off some of the huge events I produce if I hadn’t invested myself into the lives of my team leaders. I only have so much time personally available, so I absolutely must develop others so that everything is accomplished.
The great news is that this concept of development goes both ways. When a leader spends their time investing in others, there is a benefit to them as well. The developer becomes developed at the same time because, as the book of Proverbs states, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (27:17). The initial intention may be only to train and develop skills in a member of the team, but as they grow, they will become sharper and their iron will undoubtedly sharpen your iron as well. It’s a true win for each person. Leaders who tend to be lone rangers may be able to reach reasonable levels of success and effectiveness, but they will eventually reach their personal capacity and lose out on potential successes which would come if they would invite others to their party. The organizations of leaders who insist on having their hand in everything will ultimately fall short of what they could be.
So, where am I going with this? This year I have been making a conscious effort to expand my reach and develop my personal network of leaders whom I can sharpen, and from whom I can be sharpened. I’ve decided that I don’t want to accept limits on my personal potential because I insist on going it alone. Since Maxwell states, “Personal growth must be deliberate, planned, and consistent” and as the old-time personal growth statement says, “The person you become in five years will be determined by the books you read and the people with whom you associate” (author unknown), I am choosing carefully the books I read and especially the people with whom I connect. Proverbs, again, demonstrates when it states, “Do not be friendly with hotheads, or associate with the wrathful, lest you learn their ways, and become ensnared” (22:24).
I’d like to introduce you to someone with whom I connect, both personally and professionally. Dr. Douglas DeWitt has been developing leaders for the past two decades. He is a professor at Salisbury University in Maryland and is a rising star in the Life Leadership organization. He has just launched a new website, Leadership for the 21st Century, and will be blogging regularly on topics of leadership. I believe you will find his perspectives to be excellent, practical, and to the point. I encourage you to visit his site and spread the word among those of us who are developing ourselves and others as leaders. You will find it at dougdewitt.blogspot.com.
Iron does indeed sharpen iron. I encourage you to do as I am doing and seek out others to develop and who can develop you.
Lead well.