Becoming Insignificant

He must increase, but I must decrease ~ John 3:30

There is wisdom in surrounding yourself with people more talented than you.  I recall someone telling me that "A's" hire other "A's" while "B's" hire "C's."  A person in charge of hiring who is afraid he may be replaced by the new guy ends up weakening his company and his own value.  The person who hires the best talent available increases value even if he himself becomes insignificant.

This actually happened at my publishing company.  As soon as we launched, I got a call from a competitor interested in joining us.  We were too small to hire her at the time, however, I asked her to keep in touch.  Eventually, we hired her and she quickly became our top sales rep.  Her ability to reach customers outside our established client list earned her a seat at the partner table.  When we needed to trim our payroll, one partner needed to give up his job in order to keep our doors open.  I evaluated the A+ talent all around me and decided I was the one who was least significant.  The only companies who will survive in today's economy are the ones who seek out the best talent.

Want to add value to your company?  Strive to become insignificant, meaning, load your company up with so much top talent that you are no longer the big fish everyone depends on.  You will gain the freedom to pursue your passion and your business will thrive.

I will apply this lesson to all areas of my life, choosing to surround myself with people smarter, more experienced, and better qualified, even if it means they may end up replacing me.  I applied this rule when I found the future Mrs. Mulligan 22+ years ago.  The good news is she promised me she would never trade me in.

How about you?  Do you have an idea you would like to contribute to today's message?