"Most people are prisoners, thinking only about the future or living in the past. They are not in the present, and the present is where everything begins.”
Carlos Santana

                On a recent Sunday night in Toronto we had the absolute privilege to attend an outdoor concert with Carlos Santana.  In the 5000 person intimate venue life seemed to stand still as Carlos and his band belted out hits like Maria Maria and Smooth.  As the music vibrated in the molecules of my cells I turned my attention to the observation that Carlos Santana, the namesake of the band, happily turned his stage over to singers, drummers, guitarists and keyboarders without having to take the majority of the attention; he was perfectly happy to allow others the spotlight.

                Set after set, as Carlos played, sometimes in the foreground and sometimes in the background the music amplified the power of a decades old band.  From Woodstock until now, Santana, has been a chart topper in countries all over the world.  On stage the man behind the music seems to be both cheerleader and counterpart inspiring his musicians to play their best.  It is no wonder that Santana has had such a long run in an industry where musicians, like dictators, come and go.

                The next day, as I returned home and to the ebb and flow of our life I paused to ask the question: can great leaders have it all without doing it all?  Can a truly powerful leader allow others to have the spotlight while he or she is content to look on in admiration as their protégé performs at a level equal or better to their own?  Do the best leaders on the planet create a space for people to truly shine as opposed to creating an autocratic environment that shines the spotlight only upward instead of outward?  I believe the answer is absolutely yes.

                When it comes to the concept of leadership success, author Robin Sharma comes to mind.  In his most recent book, The Leader Who Had No Title, Mr. Sharma uses a parable to illustrate leadership principles which include being the best in the world no matter what job you do, exploring your humanness, treating others with respect and recognizing the strengths of others while only humbly acknowledging one’s own.  The concept of the book is that some of the most powerful people in the world are those who choose to lead, regardless of title, and utilize the strengths of others to bring everyone along.

                In the book, Good to Great by Jim Collins, we see the leadership paradigm of the CEO’s of some of the most successful companies in the world.  Mr. Collins found that corporate executives who lead with humility, were able to openly give praise and truly receive the contribution of their team were not some of the highest paid leaders; they also had the greatest efficacy and longevity.  It would seem that leadership efficacy and having it all is really dependent on not being the person who is doing it all.

                The question is, where are you willing to shine the light on others?  Are you able to only focus on what people do right as opposed to what they are doing wrong?  Can you look outward when things are going right and inward when things are going wrong?  Are you able to lead by not only blazing a trail but by being a great cheerleader?

                Leadership is one of the greatest pieces of success.  Those who fail to step into leadership roles, whether they work in a fast food restaurant or professional sales, often do not move forward.  People who try to lead with ego or by dictatorship often tumble as a leader is only as good as the love of their followers.  To lead is to truly take responsibility in good times and bad.  It is to be able to step back from center stage as your team shines in front of you.