Redefining Success

TOPICS: LEADERSHIP SKILLS

Redefining Success

Most strong leaders see themselves as head of an organization or business at some point. That sort of expectation goes along with the confidence and mentality of a leader. “I’ll begin with something small, move to something a bit larger and in the end, I’ll be the top guy.” Maybe you will, maybe you won’t.

The smartest man I ever worked with was named Bob. He was the CFO of a large real estate organization. Bob had it all; he was incredible with numbers and he was a great communicator. He could be ruthless when it was called for, but he was often warm and gracious. He was easy to follow because he always seemed to know where he was going.

Imagine my surprise when he shared his story with us one day during a company meeting. Earlier in his career he had served as President for two different retail companies, both of which filed bankruptcy during his tenure. Despite all his intellect and talents, he had failed – twice – at being the top guy. “After the second bankruptcy I determined that if I couldn’t be the leader, I would become the best number two I could be.” And that is exactly what he became. He enjoyed a fulfilling and successful career until he retired.

I can’t imagine how hard it was for Bob to reach that conclusion. Almost every entrepreneur I know has failed at least once and many have failed multiple times. Most went on to enjoy success, but some never overcame the stigma of failure. I wonder if those guys ever thought about becoming the best number two they could be?

Experience has taught me two important lessons on this subject. First, most leaders are not cut out to be the top guy. The pressure of living with the responsibility for the ultimate success or failure of an organization can be suffocating and isolating. It is a 24 hour, 7 day a week commitment which affects every part of your life. Second, being effective at what you do is far more important than occupying the top spot. Without competent leaders at every level, organizations struggle or fail. As Bob proved, being an integral part of something successful can be extremely rewarding, both financially and emotionally. And, it sure beats being the leader responsible for failure!

Obviously, the higher you climb in an organization, the more leadership skills are required. Not only does the competition among managers intensify, the pressure to make proper decisions increases dramatically. After all, more people depend on you than ever before. Is that the level of pressure you signed up for? If not, you may want to reevaluate your definition of personal and professional success.



Success in business means being as good as you can be at the job before you. Just because you set out to reach a certain spot does not mean you would be happy or competent in that role. Bob found contentment and success in a very different spot than he imagined. Could the same be said about you?