This is a guest post by Dr Gavin Symanowitz of FeedbackRocket.com. It originally appeared in Finweek Magazine (28 June 2012 issue).

A colleague of mine related how he hired his personal assistant. In the job interview, he asked her why he should hire her. She replied simply, “Because I will make it my personal mission, every day, to make you shine”. What more could he ask for from a PA? So he hired her on the spot.

In my work, I come into daily contact with exceptional leaders and managers. I’m increasingly starting to notice a common trait among these managers. They adopt the same attitude as my colleague’s PA – but in reverse. These managers make it their personal mission, every day, to make their subordinates shine. They genuinely put the development of their subordinates above the short-term needs of the business. And, paradoxically, they are reaping the rewards. Continue reading →