For many years now I have been the leader of a large group of people. Yet the leadership, ideas and motivation often comes from other sources...and that is okay; in fact it is desired. Just recently I had one of those days, I dreaded coming to work, but I was revived in my tasks as others on my team took the lead.

If I want success as a leader I must empower my team for leadership and give them opportunities to lead when I feel good. Then when I am not performing at my best then they will step to the front and lead.

Dan Cathy uses a 'slinky' to illustrate this. To get a slinky in motion, the wire at the front starts first propelled by some event. Then the whole team begins to follow, often causing tension, but they would be together without the tension. At some point the leader's energy level slows, yet the team is motivated and actually becomes the catalyst to the next movement, propelling once again the leader to the front.

I am fortunate to work with a great team and I gladly let them lead, in fact I believe it is my responsibility to encourage them to do so and there are days they have to.