Week 23.41 The Gift of Space

I have been interested in the tension between holding onto leadership and giving space to new leaders for some time. On the one hand, you have very talented leaders who are in positions of authority and having great success. They are using their experience effectively and are reluctant to let go when they get to the top of the ladder. The problem is that you have the next wave of leaders waiting for their turn, stalled until the senior leader moves on. Sometimes, the situation is unique, such as the heydays of network anchors (Peter Jennings, Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw) or late-night TV hosts (Jonny Carson). Other times, leaders of companies choose to lead their companies for decades. The leaders looking to achieve the top spot are either stalled for an uncertain time or make a move in another direction. While I understand the temptation to want to stand on the top of the mountain, being the master of your universe, I have come to know that this is not good leadership and not good for business. It could be better for the leader. Let me explain.

One of the greatest challenges for leaders at the top of their game is what they do the day after they stop leading. They have spent most of their lives achieving their goals, overcoming obstacles, summiting mountains, and receiving attention and deference. When they tell jokes, they are funny; when they have ideas, they are brilliant. And before long, they believe the hype that is said about them. If they remain in the leadership tower for too long, they risk losing perspective and start to think they are the only person to accomplish their role. With the world revolving around them, they might not see that the world will continue to turn after they leave. It's humbling. The alternative is to begin to think about succession well in advance of leaving.

Thinking of succession early allows you to create space for others to grow within your universe. It brings their new ideas and innovations, perspectives, and innovation to the forefront. No matter how good a leader you are, you are the most significant limitation to the endeavor's success unless you engage all the organization's talent. Time and again, I have observed that even when the leader thinks they have the best idea, by waiting for others to speak, they find that sometimes others have better ideas. Sometimes, their idea needs to be sufficiently good to be worth stifling the growth of those around them. It takes a while to get a feel for it, but once you get it, you also get that creating space for others is also creating space for you.

Creating space for you entails celebrating the potential and supporting the growth of the next generation. Letting them do the lifting they want, leveraging their (relatively) youthful exuberance to create more time for you to vision and reflect. The spaciousness you open for them also makes time for you to consider where you want to go next. I often hear coaches talk about leaders who only think about their next act once the curtain is down on this one. That is unfortunate because it is highly likely that the end of the show is predictable, and they should be prepared for it. My good friend Mike Sursock had this epiphany recently. He recognized that his career had been highly successful and he had met all his objectives. He could make more money but didn't need more, which would not make him happy. What he realized he needed to catch up on was time. He pivoted quickly and started to plan his succession from work and ascension into a new post-work life.

You don't get the chance to choose to leave on top since the pinnacle is never seen until after we are post-peak. As they say, "better to leave them wanting more." Building on the work of my dear friend Whitney Johnson, this move, just like every other move, is just another S Curve, another opportunity for invention and growth. Moving on should not be seen as retiring, resignation, or loss. It is an inevitable part of evolution; it is merely another season to be prepared for and welcome. More importantly, leaving early creates space for others to grow and allows you to intentionally develop your potential in new areas.

Book Release: You Are Enough: Overcoming Lifelong Doubts of Worthiness by Eric Brooker

In the depths of heartache and personal turmoil, I embarked on a profound journey of healing. With the tragic loss of my sister-in-law to a relentless battle with alcohol addiction as well as the unexpected estrangement from my oldest daughter, I confronted long-standing childhood wounds that stayed with me into adulthood. Doubt, uncertainty, and a persistent sense of inadequacy consumed me. But within the pages of this book, I share a transformative journey-one that led me to the life-altering realization that I am enough, and, dear reader, so are you!

And fear not, for this book is a testament to the power of personal transformation and equips you with tangible tools for change. Within its pages, you will find practical advice that you can implement in your life today. Discover how to be more present, authentic, and meaningfully connected to those around you.

Book Release: Big Bets by Dr. Rajiv J. Shah

We live in challenging times. Faced with myriad global crises, it is easy to feel overwhelmed or cynical about our future. The good news is, we have solved significant problems before, and we can do it again. The problems our world is facing today—from conflict to climate change, from poverty to energy poverty—are the reasons I wrote Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Happens, which hits shelves today. I wanted to remind people what's possible when we set ambitious goals, identify innovative solutions, build partnerships to scale them, and measure our progress along the way.

There is no shortage of reasons to be optimistic about our ability to create a better future, but there is a shortage of belief that a better future is even possible. I hope Big Bets will help you and many others realize that together, we can make transformational change and build a world that is fairer, freer, and safer.

I hope that Big Bets inspires you to act, that you will share the book with the people in your life that you want to inspire as well, and that you will join me in making big bets for our collective future. I can’t wait to see what we can accomplish together. If you want to learn more about the big bets The Rockefeller Foundation is making or join our Big Bets community, you can do that here. And if you want to purchase a copy of Big Bets for yourself, a friend, or a loved one, you can do that here.

Are you ready for executive coaching? by John Baldoni

Executive coaching is the process of self-discovery. We all can benefit from learning more about ourselves and exploring ways to improve ourselves. An executive coach — one hired from the outside — can be a resource that helps others see themselves more clearly. Additionally, executives can learn how colleagues see them by gaining feedback from colleagues. 

But the question arises: How do I prepare myself to be coached? A new book, Becoming Coachable, by a trio of executive coaches Jacquelyn Lane, Scott Osman and Marshall Goldsmith, can provide insight. Think of it this way. If you want to get in shape, you want to ensure that you have the mindset to put yourself through the rigor of physical exercise. Half-measures do not work. It’s the same with coaching. 

To watch the full LinkedIn Live interview, click here.

With love, gratitude, and wonder.

Scott