Leadership That Scales
Leadership, in its truest form, is not a solo sport. It’s not about the guy at the top waving from the summit, pretending he climbed the mountain alone. That’s a myth sold by self-help charlatans who promise you can hack your way to the top if you just wake up at 4 a.m., meditate for 20 minutes, and drink a kale smoothie. The reality? Leadership is about your team, not you.
If you think you can operate in a vacuum — focusing only on yourself while ignoring the people who got you there — you might make some progress. You might even climb the corporate ladder a few rungs. But at some point, imposter syndrome is going to tap you on the shoulder and whisper, “Hey, buddy. We both know you didn’t get here alone.” And that’s when the façade starts to crack.
I’ve seen it happen. The leaders who believe their own hype, who act like they are the engine rather than just a part of the machine, are the ones who ultimately fail. They don’t burn out in a spectacular, dramatic fashion. No, their decline is slow and humiliating — losing the respect of their peers, finding themselves out of the loop on critical decisions, and eventually, getting “promoted” to a title that sounds impressive but has no real influence.
Here’s the thing: your success as a leader is nothing more than a reflection of your team’s success. If they win, you win. If they lose, well, that’s on you.
The Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs for Leadership
You remember Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs? That pyramid we all skimmed over in Psych 101? Turns out, it applies to leadership, too. Once you get past the basics — salary, job security, decent coffee — you hit the real differentiators: belonging and recognition. These are the needs that fuel engagement, drive innovation, and create loyalty. When employees feel like they belong and their work is recognized, they don’t just meet expectations; they exceed them.
And yet, leaders screw this up all the time. Why? Because they want credit. They want their name in the press release. They want the big bonus check. But the irony is that the fastest way to get those things is by shifting the focus away from yourself and onto your team.
The Power of “We”
Here’s a simple yet powerful practice: When sharing stories of accomplishment, use “We” instead of “I.” When taking accountability for failures, use “I” instead of “We.”
Sounds easy, right? It’s not. It goes against every self-preservation instinct we have. When things go well, we want the glory. When things go south, we want to spread the blame. But great leaders flip that instinct on its head. They celebrate their team’s wins as collective victories, and they take responsibility when things go wrong.
This isn’t just feel-good leadership advice — it’s strategic. When you credit your team for wins, they’re more invested in the next project. When you absorb the blame, you create a culture where people feel safe taking risks and innovating. And innovation is what moves businesses forward.
Leadership Is a Team Sport
Let’s put this into real-world terms. Imagine two leaders:
Leader A: Every time something goes right, he’s front and center, soaking up the credit. When things go wrong, he suddenly becomes a ghost. His team members are just footnotes in his success story, and when the blame gets passed around, it somehow never lands on him. Over time, resentment builds. His team stops going the extra mile because, let’s face it, why should they? Their efforts aren’t being recognized, and their mistakes are being publicly flogged.
Leader B: When success happens, she shines the spotlight on her team. When failure occurs, she takes responsibility and then works with her people to fix the problem. Her team feels valued. They trust her. They work harder, not because they have to, but because they want to. And when a major promotion opportunity comes up, she’s the obvious choice — not just because of her results, but because her people would walk through fire for her.
Which leader do you think lasts longer?
Ego vs. Legacy
At its core, this is a battle between ego and legacy. Ego wants the immediate payoff — the praise, the bonuses, the speaking gigs. Legacy, on the other hand, is about something bigger. It’s about building a team that thrives, even when you’re not in the room. It’s about creating a culture where people are inspired to do their best work, not out of fear, but because they genuinely care.
If you want to be a leader worth following, start by rewriting your narrative. Trade the “I” for “We” when celebrating success. Swap the “We” for “I” when taking accountability. It’s a subtle shift, but it changes everything.
In the end, the leaders who make it — the ones who build real, lasting success — aren’t the ones who hoard credit. They’re the ones who give it away.
Simple, but powerful.
Hi, I’m Brian Fink, the author of Talk Tech To Me. If you like how I write, pick up your copy today!
