I’ve consulted for companies of all sizes, some of which you’ve read and spoken about, and others that nobody knows about. They all have some things in common. But the most common denominator is this: people.
People are difficult, no matter the size. Whether you’re a small or big business, most of your problems relate to people. And you can bet on one thing: self-interest rules the world. What separates the great companies from the normal ones? They understand how to create teams. This way, self-interest becomes we-interest.
They go from “How can I make others better?” instead of “How can I get what I want for my betterment?”
I’ve always said that great leadership solves a lot of problems.
The Behaviors That Drag Teams Down
You get the following behaviors when an organization or a team is ruled by self-interest (aka making others worse):
- Hogging the spotlight instead of sharing it. When was the last time you celebrated someone else’s win with the same enthusiasm as your own?
- Using talents solely for personal gain. Your skills aren’t just meant to advance your career; they’re tools to lift others up alongside you.
- Withholding knowledge and opportunities. Information hoarding creates bottlenecks and dependencies that ultimately hurt everyone, including yourself.
- Competing destructively rather than collaboratively. The energy spent undermining colleagues could be redirected toward collective achievements.
- Dismissing or belittling others’ ideas. Every time you shoot down a suggestion without consideration, you silence a voice that might have the solution.
- Creating environments where others feel diminished. The most toxic thing about negativity is how quickly it spreads.
- Taking credit for others’ work. Short-term gain, long-term destruction of trust and morale.
- Prioritizing personal recognition over team success. Individual trophies gather dust, but team achievements build lasting legacies.
- Breaking trust within a community. Trust takes years to build, seconds to break, and forever to repair.
- Failing to recognize interdependence. No one succeeds entirely on their own merit; we all stand on the shoulders of others.
The Mirror Test
Take a moment for honest reflection. How many of these behaviors have crept into your professional life? Even the most well-intentioned among us can fall into these traps without realizing it.
Self-interest isn’t inherently bad; it’s human nature. But when it becomes the dominant force in how we interact with others, it creates environments where everyone is diminished, including ourselves.
Turning the Corner
Organizations transform by adopting a simple principle: “The strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.” This isn’t just a nice quote – it’s practical business wisdom.
When team members start asking, “How can I make others better?” rather than “How can I look better?” everything changes. Productivity increases, innovation flourishes, retention improves, and problems get solved faster.
The irony is that focusing less on your own advancement and more on elevating others often makes you more successful yourself. Your reputation grows as someone who builds others up. Your network strengthens with genuine relationships. Your skills expand through teaching and collaboration.
It’s hard, no doubt about it. One way I turned the corner when I ran my father’s business was by personally coaching managers and supervisors. Afterward, I added “team growth” to their performance reviews. My point to them was: You grow when your people grow.
The Challenge
This week, identify one way you might be making others worse without realizing it. Then, consciously replace that behavior with its opposite:
- Instead of hogging the spotlight, redirect attention to someone whose work deserves recognition
- Rather than withholding knowledge, schedule time to teach someone a skill you’ve mastered
- When tempted to dismiss an idea, ask three curious questions instead
Remember, in the long game of life and business, the winners aren’t those who climb over others to reach the top. The true winners are those who bring others along with them on the journey upward.
What’s one step you can take today to make others better rather than worse?
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