If you've been leading a team for any amount of time, you understand the importance of a vision, and the mission the team is working towards. Along the way, you'll grow and improve as a team and hit milestones. It's important to remember that what got you to that milestone will not get you to the next. It's a battle of constantly growing and learning. An easy example is in sales management: A a sales leader can sell X amount every month or every year, but if they improve their skillset to teach the team, and they raise 10 people up to even 50% of their own capability, then the team is selling 5X what the one person could do. After that milestone, if that leader raises 5 leaders to each bring up 5 people. The numbers get ridiculous, and the team can really start to achieve some great things. Remember that what got you here, won't get you there. So what are you learning right now to get the team to the next level?

Going through the first chapter of "Extreme Ownership" by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin again yesterday, I realized it would be a really good chapter to give anyone first stepping into leadership. As a sales manager I've always given new hires the first chapter of the book "Success Principles" by Jack Canfield which says "Take 100% responsibility for everything in your life." Good, bad, neutral doesn't matter it's on you. Taking 100% accountability is finding the lesson in everything each day, understanding that you're the creator of your circumstances and the outcome of every situation. Re-reading Extreme Ownership made me realize that when you step into leadership, it's not just about taking 100% accountability to your own life, but also the lives of your team. Taking 100% accountability to the lives and successes of those below you, beside you, and above you. I think it would be a great introduction for anyone that wants to grow as a leader. The Law of the Lid in the 21 Laws of Leadership book is another great first chapter, but personally, I think we should start with why we do what we do rather than how. I'm in leadership to improve the lives of those around me. Raising my lid will allow me to be more effective at it, but understanding why and what it means through taking responsibility for the outcome of their lives is a great starting point.