Today's Leadership Insight - Concentrate on your Contributions

August 18th, 2009

In life, we often have a tendancy to fall into the "what's in it for me" trap. It's a simple survival instinct that forces us to look out for our best interests, thus leading to our own safety and security.

As we practice this mechanism, we forget the irony that's attached to it: contributing and giving back will get us everything we need.

As a leader, your goal is not to focus the full allotment of your efforts on yourself, but rather those around you. Those in a position of followership will seek guidance and advice from their leader, and the leader can get everything they want by simply taking the time to instruct each person that needs their insight.

A leader doesn't do this for personal gain, but for the leadership development of everyone. A person who's out for nothing more than personal gain is easy to spot, and thus their reputations are actually tarnished by emphasizing this behavior.

The one who listens to the problems of the masses and does everything they can to improve the situation, provide guidance, and make a better person out of each individual based on the experiences they face is the one who will build a legacy that lasts generations.

If you look at the long list of exceptional leaders in the history books, their legacies weren't built because they selfishly strived for their own personal gain. They left their marks on their respected communities by contributing everything they have. They make themselves attractive through leadership, thus developing a group of people who followed suit and focused their contributions on the betterment of their community.

As you focus on your leadership today, pay particular attention to a simple point: Giving begins the receiving process.

If you make your work bigger than you and start giving back and contributing, two things will happen:

A) You'll experience a feeling unparalleled by anything on this earth
B) You will begin to carve out your legacy

Your work determines your legacy, and how much you contribute determines your place as a leader. Unselfishly work for the development of others and let their development become the foundation of your success.