We incorrectly think that if we are the “hero,” it will be the fastest path to career progression. Interestingly, the opposite can happen. Many people work to become internal linchpins. The thinking is, “The company could never eliminate me because I’m the only one who can perform this role.” Though the personal, and sometimes selfish, motivation is to be a critical member of the team, it can also result in getting stuck in a role and prevent you from progressing.
By trying to be the hero and not progressing as you intended, you’ll eventually realize that there’s a better way to advance: building relationships with coworkers by asking for and giving help. Learning to reach out for help and actively pull in your coworkers to problem-solve will help cement better relationships, a stronger career path, and an improved work environment.
Asking for help builds internal relationships and demonstrates leadership skills. Seeking input from others shows humility, willingness to learn, and motivation—skills that demonstrate the ability for open and direct conversations about difficult business situations.
Reaching out to help others is equally important. When leaders are looking for people ready to move up to the next level, they promote people with a history of creating a ripple effect of success throughout the organization. Leaders value someone who can create systems of success and coach successful traits in others more than someone who can only produce it for themselves. Here’s how to cultivate that ability and avoid getting stuck in the hero mentality:
Practice selfless giving
Studies have shown that company culture has a greater influence on employee well-being than salary and benefits and that positive relationships built on respect and belonging are predictive of successful workplaces. Steve Jobs would take walks with Mark Zuckerberg and discuss how Zuckerberg could manage and improve Facebook while providing insights about entrepreneurship. Jobs had already achieved massive success but took the time to form a relationship and share his collected wisdom and experience.
You can take this example as a case for building relationships around making other people successful. Practicing selfless giving in this way shows your team (and leadership) that you’re interested in building the success of the company and the people in it—not just your own.
When you assess your own role, do you think there are things you’ve learned that could help others? For example, if you’re in sales, do you have a proposal or prospecting email that was successful that you could share with your fellow salespeople? If you’re a manager, did you help a struggling employee get back on track? Stop and think about the steps you took that might be helpful and share them with other managers.
Amplify the influence of others
I spent months trying to secure one important business deal with Verizon. I did deep research, understood their goals, demonstrated our capabilities, and built a thorough proposal about how to achieve their objectives. Despite all the overtures and hard work, the deal took a long time. I discussed the matter with the CEO of our company, Josh, and asked him if he could help. Rather than being upset at getting pulled in, he was thrilled to have direct client communication. So, I set up a call between him and the client to build trust. After a few days, we won the project.
I often used this approach going forward: leveraging the expertise and talent of others to help the company grow. Sometimes, I included Josh in client calls and, other times, the CFO or technology team members. It was about showcasing the team’s expertise in ways that would make clients feel confident. My job wasn’t always to be the person to cement the deal but rather to recognize who could help, serving as the quarterback of the process.
Make a list of some of the key people in your organization and consider how they could help in your day to day, so you can pull them in when necessary. Start asking those folks what would make their lives easier as you manage projects. Knowing when to include others can be a huge boon to external relationships and also shows others on the team that you care and want to improve.
Assess your motives for your end goal
A key question to ask yourself is whether you want to move into a higher position to have more power or to give others power. Too often, people are attracted to power and influence as opposed to the true meaning of leadership: coaching and developing others to get better as a whole and achieve goals. Thinking about power as a means to a positive end—helping others—rather than an end itself will help your career blossom from beginning to end.
Even if you don’t want to get into leadership, this selfless mentality will help. By involving others more in your day-to-day decisions instead of always being the hero, you’ll get a lot more done, have better relationships, and create less pressure for yourself.
As you continue on your career path, you’ll see that collaboration in achieving your goals is critical. As you grow, you’ll learn that your role is more about achieving results with others than being the hero all the time. Collaborating and building relationships with coworkers will only help your career and your company’s success.
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