Leadership Principle #13. Landmines – The Career Killers. Part 5 of 5 – Those Below You

Leadership Principle #13.  Landmines – the Career Killers. 

Part 5 of 5 – Those below you

Once you’ve achieved the position of CEO, it might be hard to imagine how those below you in subordinate positions could potentially ever harm your career.  After all, you’re the boss and you call the shots.  The reality is they matter and without the right team, you won’t achieve the performance you need and your career can be damaged as a result.  However, on the flip side, if you have good strategy and product, plus a great team, you will have success.

The hard truth is that some of your team will make it and some won’t. You don’t always know who will have what it takes to continue with the organization, so don’t worry about that.  Instead, work on developing everyone but be prepared to cut some people lose if it’s clear they aren’t the right fit anymore.  This part of the of your journey as CEO gets tough but it’s critical because holding on to the wrong people will become a landmine.  

As I mentioned before, growing your business depends on how you grow your people.  This is a necessity - not a luxury - if you want to scale and grow your organization.  Done incorrectly, it can be a landmine.  Here’s the secret…managing those below you really is the defining factor -- either positive or negative -- of how you will be remembered as a leader.  People are your legacy, so avoid stepping on this landmine by nurturing and building a solid team.  It’s critical to your success as CEO and the growth of your company.

Contact me today to learn more about my CEO coaching program designed to help you avoid career-killing landmines.