True Leadership Is Putting Others First

Legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden once said, “The most important thing is that you care more about your players than about yourself.” He believed that truly great leaders must care more deeply about others than themselves or their own success.

Like all selfless acts, this is easier said than done. As leaders, our natural instincts often push us to think about our own needs first - getting credit for wins, avoiding blame for losses, gaining influence and rewards. The sacrifice comes in reversing this mindset completely - working tirelessly to advance others instead of ourselves.

I’ve witnessed how this sacrifice transforms leaders. A VP at a Fortune 500 tech company made it his personal mission to spotlight his engineers’ breakthroughs in company meetings. He passed up chances to speak in order to give them the stage. Within a year, his division’s retention skyrocketed. The more credit he gave, the more his team produced.

The same dynamic holds in my friend Debbie’s nonprofit. As executive director, she insists her program leaders represent the organization at community events while she supports behind the scenes. “It’s about showcasing their good work,” she told me, “not having my name in lights.”

Making this sacrifice reframes your purpose as a leader. The team’s success becomes your success. Their growth feeds your growth. Billionaire investor and Bridgewater Associates founder Ray Dalio calls this “getting power by giving it away.” The more you empower others, the more power you gain.

Of course, sacrifice also means swallowing your pride when things go wrong under your watch. Resist making excuses or blaming individuals. Own mistakes openly and talk about team-wide accountability.

Will you reap personal rewards by putting others first? Maybe, maybe not. But the rewards for your team will be endless. Their trust, loyalty and performance will continue to compound over time.

So silence that little voice always worrying about your own interests, no matter the cost. Lead from the mindset that empowering your people is the ultimate power. That’s the sacrifice that changes everything.