So with peach season right around the corner things have been picking up around the offices on East Argyle. So much to do and the thing about this business is, when that first truck arrives, it’s game on. We’ll be ready, just lots to do. B/c of that the blog posts have been a bit light lately.

My apologies.

The other day I talked about the necessary leadership directive centered around differentiation. You must not only distinguish the performers from the non-performers in your organization but you also must communicate to your people where they stand. If someone is hitting the mark, they should know it. If they’re not, they should know that too. The first one is easy for most business leaders. The second, not so much. It’s got to happen though.

As I mentioned, the differentiation post was spurred by an interview I saw with Jack Welch, former GE CEO. Another thing he said that really stuck with me centered around how your role changes when you become CEO. He said, “When you are an employee it’s all about you. The day you become CEO, it’s all about them. It’s about finding the right people, building culture, etc.”

This is such great advice. While I never held the title of CEO, I was, for all intents and purposes, one. While in that position I struggled to get comfortable with team building, culture, etc being my primary responsibilities. Learning this, accepting this and realizing that this is the most vital thing I could do would have really benefited my outlook.

I’ve had this same conversation with countless other leaders who have found themselves in a CEO spot and struggled with their new responsiblities.

I would often say, and I’ve heard this same thing from others, “Everything I once did I’ve now hired someone to do. I’m having trouble figuring where I really fit into this equation.”

Sometimes I felt ineffective. Sometimes I felt like I should be doing more. Something physical.

This was wrong. I was actually doing the most valuable thing I could do for my company. Setting a great culture, building morale and hiring great people who were smarter than me.

That was what I needed to be doing and that was “enough”.

If you’re a leader and finding yourself struggling with your new responsibilities remember Jack’s words. . . it used to be all about you. Now, it’s all about them.