Lesson: Transitioning to a leadership role

This a long post, so please bear with me. It details perhaps the most valuable conversation I've had in my career.

Many years ago, I was a top performing Sales Executive with Bloomingdales. I was promoted to Sales Manager and, I must admit, I went about it all wrong. Thankfully, I had a great leader named Chris Cottey who, in one conversation, set me straight- not just for that job, but for every leadership role I would ever have. His guidance that day became the cornerstone of my leadership philosophy and style.

Mr. Cottey conducted my annual review, which had been written based on my performance in another Bloomingdale's location and by another manager. Now, as evidenced by my promotion, I was fortunate to have a glowing review and that part of the conversation went smoothly. Then Mr. Cottey put my review away, came around his desk, and sat next to me.

"Eric, you just got a great review. But now we need to talk about the next 12 months, and my expectations for you. You've been with me for two months in your new leadership role. I have to be honest with you and tell you, based on what I've seen and heard, I would not rate you as highly as a leader as your previous manager did as an individual contributor."

Mr. Cottey definitely had my attention, but not in a way I'd expected. To his credit, he was calm and patient and deliberate in his wording and his message.

In what is undoubtedly the most valuable ten minutes of my career, he shared his (accurate) observations that I was competing with my Sales Professionals and that I did not trust them to get the job done that I needed done. Instead, I was personally trying to make sales AND accomplish everything that needed to be done operationally. He explained that I no longer needed to prove myself as an individual contributor, but I needed to develop and exhibit a whole new skill set as a capable and trusted leader.

He went on to explain that by selling against my Sales team, I was not building a trusting relationship. I was tacitly telling my team that I was more capable of doing their job than they were. I was also taking potential commission away from them. On the Operations side, by not delegating work, I was again not demonstrating trust and I was giving the perception that my team was not well trained and was not valuable.

WOW!

But...he was right. As justified as I felt, as lacking in some skills as my team may have been, and as necessary (in the short term) as my actions may have been...

I WAS NOT LEADING A TEAM.

He then did something I will never forget. He went back to his desk, pulled out a blank Performance Review form and handed it to me and said the following:

"Eric, that's your review that I will write 12 months from now. I will not base that review on your individual sales or your operationally savvy. I am going to pick someone AT RANDOM from your team and I'm going to write YOUR review based on THEIR performance." He clearly saw the confusion and (admittedly) a hint of frustration in my face. My team was by no means made up of superstars and we both knew it. But what he said next was so valuable that I have tried to teach it, nearly verbatim, to every leader I've coached ever since.

"Your job isn't to be an All Star. Your job is to help our company hire, coach, and develop All Stars. You've been given this responsibility because you know what being an All Star in sales and operations looks like, because you've been one yourself. You have a year to give me a team of people that meet your All Star Standard. We will support you, but your success is your own."

"If you have All Stars right now, how do you retain them, make them better, ensure their continued growth and success, so that a year from now you've increased the odds that I will select them to base your review upon? If you have people who won't align with your vision and who won't be capable of delivering All Star level performance no matter how much coaching you give them, how will you help them find employment elsewhere that is better suited for their skills and passions, and find, coach, and develop All Stars to replace them, so that you feel confident if I pick one of them? And, if you have people on your team you're unsure of...you've got 12 months to develop into, or replace them with, All Stars who you'd feel confident with me picking for next year's review."

That was it. My entire leadership philosophy explained succinctly to me at 26 years old. And his advice was perfect. I had to really change my approach and admit to my team that I'd started off on the wrong foot. I had two Superstars. I kept them happy and challenged, and relied on them to help me lead and develop the others. I had three people who needed an "employment change", and I replaced them with three people who (with the help of my existing Superstars) were developed into top performers. And I had four team members who I wasn't sure of. Fortunately, once my approach changed and I focused on their growth and success instead of my own, their performance dramatically improved.

His advice worked and my next review was great!

To see this from a different perspective:

There is NO sports team that has ever won a championship because their coach was the best player on the team. Great coaches do what Mr. Cottey described. He or she finds, retains, and develops the spectrum of talent needed to win. He or she gives confidence and hope to the team, gives candid, constructive feedback in the moment, believes in them, and inspires them to greatness. A great leader has to do the hard work of putting together a group of talented individuals and developing them to be better as a cohesive unit aligned for the same mission.

I'd love to hear how this helps you and to hear your success stories, so please share your comments.