A great leader is only as good as their inner circle. These are the people that a leader can count on to help them through tough times, celebrate victories with them, and provide candid feedback when they need it most. A strong inner circle is one of the key factors in determining success for leaders. In this blog post, I will show you how you can find your own “inner circle” of supportive people who will help you succeed at work and in life.
Here are 3 easy steps to build your inner circle:
1) Know What You Need
To be a great leader, you have to be a great team-builder. As my mentor, Dr. John C. Maxwell, teaches, one is too small a number to achieve greatness. You need to spend some time identifying the kind of people you need around you. Discover your strengths and weaknesses and build around them to make sure you’re strong in all areas. Make a list of the skills and types of people you need to be more successful. This will give you a clear picture of what you need to move forward into the future.
2) Know Who You’ve Got
Who is your inner circle? If you can’t answer that quickly, you probably don’t have an inner circle. You need to purposefully know who they are and what they bring to the table. Start to take inventory of the people you currently have closest to you and see if they align with your “what you need” list that you made in step one. You must start with who you’ve got and maximize their potential. You probably have more talent and ability around you than you think you do, so be open-minded. Start to identify their unique contribution and be willing to capitalize on it.
3) Know How To Develop Them
Think of how you are going to help take your inner circle to the next level. Begin to make a list of what you will start handing off to each of them. Prioritize the next projects, tasks, and decisions you will start giving them more ownership of. You have to allow them opportunities to develop and grow into their potential. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t have the best yet…it may be hidden deep down within them. It will take you giving them time and patience to draw out the best within them.
Side Note: Make sure you spend the most time with this group by giving them your very best. I see too many leaders give themselves to the wrong people and only have a small portion left to give to the right people. Change that by being proactive about spending your best time with your inner circle. Author Jim Rohn said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” So make sure your inner circle is the right one.
Here is a great FREE resource I recently put together to help you know how to extract the most out of your time with your team members, it’s called The 5 Conversations Every Leader Should Have. Download a copy today!
