I never thought I’d start a blog post by referencing someone with ties to the New York Giants (Go Eagles), but here we are.
Bill Parcells has a quote that sticks with me:
You don’t get any medal for trying something; you get medals for results.
At its core, this quote is about accountability and focus—traits every leader should embrace. But as I reflect on this chapter of my career, I’ve realized that the kind of results I care about most aren’t just about what I accomplish personally. It’s about what I help others achieve.
For me, leadership isn’t just about driving outcomes or achieving success. It’s about building something bigger than myself—a place where leaders are born and built.
Early in my career, like many entrepreneurs, I was laser-focused on getting immediate results.
While results still matter to me today, I’ve come to see leadership through a different lens.
Results are important, but the legacy you leave is defined by the people you empower and the leaders you help create.
It’s not about being the best at your craft; it’s about helping others become the best version of themselves.
My most rewarding experiences in my career have been moments where I helped other people achieve new heights.
Whether it was through coaching, teaching, consulting or supporting – it’s always been ridiculously rewarding to see others I work with become the best version of themselves…
I’ve come to believe that the best leaders don’t just lead. They create environments where new leaders are created.
They inspire others to take risks, step into their potential, and embrace their own capacity to lead.
My Goal: Inspire & Empower More Leaders
When I think about my goals going into 2025 and beyond, it’s clear: this chapter of my career is about building more leaders.
It’s about being intentional (and unwavering) at creating a culture where people are encouraged to take ownership, learn, grow, and lead.
Whether it’s at Foundation or Distribution.ai…
I’m striving to create an environment where people can stretch their skills, take on challenges, and become the best version of themselves.
Whether it’s with the content I create or stories I tell…
I’m striving to create content that will help people improve themselves so they can lead in their areas of interest.
This shift has shaped how I view my personal definition of success.
Success isn’t just about what I accomplish day-to-day, but it’s about what my team accomplishes.
It’s about seeing someone I’ve mentored step into a leadership role, start their own company or watching a team member grow into a version of themselves they didn’t think was possible.
Why Great Leaders Create Leaders
There are a few reasons I believe this approach to leadership is so important:
1. It Has A Multiplying Impact
The Exponential Effect: When you help someone step into their potential as a leader, their influence extends far beyond your immediate circle. They, in turn, inspire and empower others, creating a ripple effect that can transform teams, organizations, and even industries.
Think Beyond the Present: Consider the difference between solving a problem yourself versus teaching someone else how to solve it. The latter ensures the solution is scalable and sustainable. A single leader might influence a dozen people directly, but a leader who builds leaders could inspire hundreds or even thousands over time.
Examples in Action:
• Sports: Coaching trees, like Bill Parcells’ legacy, demonstrate how leaders influence generations of coaches who carry their philosophy forward.
• Business: Leaders like Jack Welch, whose mentorship at GE produced a generation of CEOs, show how multiplying leadership talent can shape industries.
2. It Allows For More Sustainability
• Building Beyond Yourself: Organizations that rely too heavily on one leader often struggle when that leader leaves. I talk to many founders who can’t take a vacation without absolute chaos happening in their organizations. I’ve been there before. But by attracting and creating leaders, you ensure the vision, values, and culture of your organization can outlast any single person, including yourself.
• Avoiding Bottlenecks: A team or company with distributed leadership is more agile and resilient. When decisions don’t have to funnel through one person, the organization can respond faster to challenges and opportunities. It’s one of the dreams of many but the reality of all the best. Decisions don’t live and die with just one person. Decisions can be made by many leaders who have shared context.
• Long-Term Success: The best leaders think long term. They focus on creating systems and cultures that will thrive long after they’re gone. This isn’t just altruistic—it’s strategic. Organizations that prioritize leadership development are more competitive and adaptable in the long run.
3. Fostering Empowerment
• Unlocking Potential: Creating leaders isn’t just about assigning responsibility—it’s about believing in people before they believe in themselves. A great leader sees potential where others might see inexperience or doubt. I think this might be the best part of the job. If you can find talent before the competition does – it’s truly a competitive edge.
• The Power of Ownership: When you empower someone to lead, you’re giving them ownership over their work, their decisions, and their outcomes. This builds confidence, fosters creativity, and drives engagement.
4. Spreading Vision and Values
• Cultural Consistency: By developing leaders who understand your mission and values, you ensure that those principles remain strong, even as the organization grows or changes. You want to create a strong culture built on values and ideologies that will help you achieve your vision. The best way to do create a culture that does that is to create leaders who are bought into the vision, live the values and
• Aligned Leadership: Leaders you create often become your greatest advocates and ambassadors. They carry the same commitment to excellence, innovation, or purpose that you’ve instilled in them, spreading those values throughout the organization.
5. Leaving a Lasting Legacy
• Impact Over Time: The leaders you create become a living testament to your influence. While awards, promotions, and accolades may fade, the people you’ve empowered will continue to carry your legacy forward.
• A Measure of True Success: True leadership isn’t about what you accomplish for yourself—it’s about what you help others accomplish. Your greatest achievements are the leaders who, because of your guidance, go on to achieve even greater things.
How to Build Leaders
Here’s what I’ve learned about fostering leadership in others:
• Mentorship Matters: One-on-one mentorship is one of the most impactful ways to help someone grow. Ask questions, share lessons, and guide them as they navigate challenges. It’s important that leaders call BS when they see it. It’s important that leaders reiterate expectations. It’s important that leaders coach. It’s important that leaders listen. It’s important that leaders show up for their people when they need it.
• Delegate with Purpose: Delegation isn’t just about offloading tasks—it’s about giving people opportunities to stretch themselves and do things that will help them grow into the best version of themselves. Assign work that challenges their skills and builds their confidence. But don’t just say “Can you do XYZ”. One of my favorite concepts around how to delegate came from Dan Silvestre’s $10k Work Framework:
- $10 work. These are low-value tasks. Drop them
- $100 work. The first tasks you should delegate
- $1.000 work. Where high-level strategic delegation lives. These are the type of activities that develops and empowers your team.
- $10K work. Work only you can (and should) do. Don’t delegate these.
• Celebrate Growth: Recognize not just results, but progress. Celebrate when someone steps out of their comfort zone or takes on a challenge, even if they stumble along the way. Give them the love in their DMs. Give them a shout out during a townhall. Give them their flowers whenever you can. I used to think that praising people was corny and should only be done once in a while… I don’t think that’s the case anymore. Now I think you should sprinkle positivity and gratititude around your teams work as much as possible.
• Model Leadership: Be the kind of leader you want others to become. Show empathy, accountability, and a willingness to grow yourself.
The Challenges of Building Leaders
It’s not always easy. Letting go of control, having patience, and allowing others to make mistakes can be uncomfortable. But these are the moments where real growth happens—for both you and the people you lead.
And sometimes, creating leaders means recognizing that the people you invest in might grow beyond your organization. That’s okay. In fact, it’s something to be proud of.
A Ripple Effect That Lasts A Lifetime
When I think about the leaders who have shaped my life, I’m reminded of the responsibility I have to pay it forward.
Shout out to the execs who took a chance on me when I was in my early 20s.
Shout out to camp leaders and executive directors who pushed me in my teens.
Shout out to the teachers and community leaders who took me under their wing when I was a kid.
Leadership isn’t just about what you achieve in a single moment—it’s about the ripple effect that lasts for decades.
If I can help create a culture where leadership thrives, then my work will extend far beyond me.
The leaders I build will go on to build more leaders, and the impact will multiply.
Who are you helping to grow into a leader?
Who are you mentoring, empowering, or encouraging to step up?
As Bill Parcells said, “You don’t get any medal for trying something; you get medals for results.” But the results I’m focused on now aren’t just about my success—they’re about the success of the people around me.
This chapter of my career isn’t about the medals I’ll earn.
It’s about the leaders I’ll help create.
So, what will you do today to build a leader?