Executing is Not Leading

One of the biggest mistakes I see in business and sports is this assumption: those who are elite at executing/performing are elite at leading and/or managing. A great athlete doesn't make a great leader. A great salesperson doesn't make a great manager. Execution and leadership are not necessarily linked.
 
Taking it one step further; just because someone is great at executing doesn’t mean they are having a positive influence on the team. I am becoming increasingly convinced that the definition of leadership is somewhere inside that axiom: “leaders have a positive impact on their team.” We tend to over-value execution and under-value leadership. We love “high performers” but don’t stop to think about how that performance is impacting the team, and most businesses are driven by teams.
 
Think about it. Where does your value lie? In executing, or in making others better? Which are you better at? Who is most valuable on the team? Let’s start valuing those who lead; those who make others better.

Once we do that, we are more likely to get to where we want to go.