Leadership = Positive Influence on the Team

If a team member is not a positive influence on the team, how valuable can they be for the team? I have been thinking about this a lot lately. We often prioritize talent over leadership qualities. We fall in love with the individual contributor who can execute, while minimizing the damage they may have to the rest of the team.
 
Think about your team. Why do they exist? The entire purpose of a team is that it can perform better than if people were simply on their own. Now, let’s go back to the idea of leadership. For me, a leader is someone who positively influences those around them. It’s not necessarily that they are positive all the time; sometimes they need to confront poor behavior for the betterment of the team, but the key is that they are focused on the team over individuals. That’s the hallmark of leadership.
 
So next time you are hiring or forming a team, how much value will you put on leadership? How can you ensure that you are not over-valuing talent and under-valuing how much that talent makes others better? Greatness is ultimately about our ability to improve those around us. Therefore, greatness often requires leadership.
 
Avoid the seduction of talent and open your eyes to the reward of a team that values leadership. 
 
After all, your team will be the ones who benefit the most.