What does it really mean to lead a team, especially when leadership requires making difficult decisions, putting other people first, and sometimes accepting that the people you develop may eventually become better than you?

In this episode of MOJO: The Meaning of Life and Business, Jennifer R. Glass sits down with leadership and executive coach Jon Sheldon, founder of BelleauWood Coaching, to explore what effective leadership looks like in business, the military, and everyday life.

Drawing on his experience as a Marine and his career leading teams in finance and business, Jon shares why leadership comes with a cost and why great performance alone doesn't make someone a great leader.

Jennifer and Jon discuss:

• Why leadership requires taking the ego out of the equation

• The difference between being a top performer and being an effective leader

• Why leaders need to adapt their approach to the people they're leading

• How to build teams with people who will challenge you instead of simply agreeing with you

• Why Jon prefers "selection" over "recruitment" when building a team

• The importance of choosing the right #2 person in an organization

• What to do when you inherit an existing team

• Why leaders need to understand what actually motivates individual team members

• How servant leadership and high standards can work together

• Giving people permission to fail without accepting repeated mistakes

• Ikigai and the importance of understanding purpose and where people perform at their best

Jennifer also shares a real experience from managing her first virtual assistant, including a significant mistake that became an opportunity to create a better working relationship and a clearer process going forward.

Leadership isn't about being the best salesperson, marketer, technician, or operator on your team. It's about creating an environment where other people can succeed, grow, challenge assumptions, and ultimately become leaders themselves.

If you lead a company, manage a team, are preparing for your first leadership position, or are building a business and beginning to hire, this conversation will give you plenty to think about.

Connect with Jon Sheldon:

BelleauWood Coaching: https://www.belleauwood.coach/

Instagram: @BelleauWoodCoaching