The Power of Inclusion

One of the first and most important lessons one should learn when beginning one's ascent up the managerial ladder is the Power of Inclusion. The success story you yearn to build could be as ephemeral as a sand castle unless one learns to widen his or her circle of influence to include as many people as possible. A true and sustainable success story is never about a loner’s lament but is more likely to be a multi – starrer block bluster . The more people in the story the more successful the story. The managerial road map to achievement is built around the principle of : The more the hands that contribute to scripting the story the more enduring the story.
This realization is easier said than understood more so because most managers enter or graduate to the managerial ranks from institutions or positions that demand personal and individual excellence and the concept of shared success eludes most perhaps till it is too late. Surprising, really since most aspiring managers understand the marketing principles of ‘buy – in’ and ‘what’s in it for me.’ Dealing in the adult world without understanding these principles is akin to entering the swimming pool without knowing how to swim. More difficult than that actually - since this is a swimming pool that is also populated by crocodiles who are not as somnambulent as they seem.
The team worker concept, the team delivery concept, the team celebration concept are critical to success. One of the wisest quotations on managerial careers speaks about the true manager being one who when he ascends to the ‘top’ being generous enough to send the elevator down to pick up new managers. If role clarity occurs from that stage, invariably managers succeed in managing great managerial careers.
At most stages in a well – managed managerial career there is scope and strength in ‘team inclusion’ strategies. Rarely does a manager need to go it alone even if he is the occupant of the ‘corner office’.
Organizations that foster and encourage this thought process through the ranks are invariably growing, thriving organizations, with strong managerial pipelines. After all it is rare to have an organization built on individual’s competence alone, even in the most autocratic of set – ups. It is truly said : “Only people can help people succeed.”
The bottom line is ‘Shared success is infinitely more consistent with the dynamics of organizations, is by definition developmental, and definitely more durable.