What’s your favorite part of leadership? Leaders play many roles, I know many people who say their favorite part of leading is the X’s and O’s; planning and strategizing. While this is very important, it’s not the most important part of leading. What is? For me is about developing other leaders, and making them better.

This is my favorite part of leadership.

It’s the most important, but also the hardest, because it’s less about IQ (intellect) and more EQ (emotional intelligence). It’s not about you, it’s about others. You have to work with and through others, not against others. You see, you work against others potential when you put your ego first.

So how do you start becoming a better leader?

The foundation of leadership is trust. Simply put: you can’t lead others if they don’t trust you.

Leadership is hard. But it becomes easy when you recognize and practice how it starts:

Want to earn respect. Give respect.
Want to earn influence. Give influence.
Want to earn trust. Give trust.

No X’s and O’s, just plain fundamentals practiced on a day to day basis. You are working against others when you choose, and it is a decision, to do the opposite of the above. All great leaders are students of human nature, so study human nature if you want to improve exponentially as a leader.

Bottom line: Leadership is about people. Your job as a leader is to make others better.