3 Leadership Lessons From Four-Star General Stanley McChrystal

Too many leaders think it’s their job to know everything.

They fall into the trap of trying to have all the answers — to appear infallible all the time.

But leadership isn’t about being omniscient or omnipotent. Your responsibility, whether you’re a Forbes 500 CEO or the commander-in-chief, is to provide direction and foster an environment for success.

Good leaders stoke success by ditching their ego and figuring out how they can best benefit their organization.

I had a guy on my podcast who knows a thing or three about being a rockstar leader: Four-Star General Stanley McChrystal.

Stan led the Joint Special Operations Command in Iraq during the Gulf Wars and was the top commander of American forces in Afghanistan under President Obama. After an extraordinary career in public service, he’s now in his second phase of life as an author, entrepreneur, and teacher.

I’m truly honored to share what I learned about effective leadership from this legendary general.

Here’s what he believes is essential for every leader:

1. Identify your role in the big picture.

Good leaders understand that not everything is about them.

For his upcoming book, Leaders: Myth and Reality, Stan studied Plutarch’s Lives, a collection of biographies of famous Greeks and Romans.

And he discovered something fascinating:

For millennia, we’ve looked up to leaders who are strong, near-mythical figures that single-handedly shaped the course of history.

But by focusing on the individual, we’ve downplayed everyone else.

In reality, leadership is an emergent property — it stems from the interaction between a leader and his followers. Success or failure comes down to the larger context of what everyone can accomplish together, as well as what’s happening in the world.

Stan told me the sooner you accept that a leader is just one part of a much larger equation, the more people will want to follow you.

2. Don’t hide your weaknesses.

Leaders must be able to:

• Think strategically
• Make tough decisions
• Communicate well

But they also need to know when to ask their team for help.

A good leader always seeks out opportunities to learn from younger people, which Stan calls “reverse-mentoring.”

From the time he joined the Army to when he became a four-star general, tactics and equipment had changed dramatically. Stan’s decades of experience weren’t directly relevant to the younger soldiers, and he wondered whether he should be in charge.

Stan realized he had to be honest with himself and his troops. Once he admitted he didn’t know how some things worked, he asked his subordinates to teach him. In turn, he promised to provide them with the relevant wisdom gleaned from his age and experience.

Rather than undercutting his legitimacy as a leader, the General’s troops gave him more credit for admitting his weaknesses.

And his entire battalion benefited from the exchange of knowledge.

We all have weaknesses — but asking for help can actually be an advantage.

When you have enough self-awareness to know your flaws, and you have the courage to admit the gaps in your knowledge to others, people respect you more.

They admire your humility and honesty, and appreciate your willingness to listen to them.

3. Take responsibility for your team at all costs.

You can’t be a leader, let alone a legendary one, without being responsible for guiding and developing your team.

Relationships determine your success, or failure, as a leader.

The key to success is treating people right, and building a reputation for honesty and effectiveness.

When he led operations in Afghanistan, Stan’s job was to represent his mission, his team and his country in the best possible light.

Although he worked tirelessly to progress the war effort and defend American interests, his staff was attributed to a Rolling Stone article in 2010 that publicly criticized government officials.

Rather than point his finger at the aides who made controversial comments, he took responsibility for his team’s behavior.

Stan owned it.

Ultimately, the General had to answer to his boss, the POTUS, and had to step down.

Reputation, relationships, and results are all interconnected, and a good leader knows when to take the blame for mistakes.

Even if it’s difficult, even if it means public failure.

Great leaders are self-aware, humble, and people-oriented.

They understand leadership is more about how well you interact with your team and your willingness to ask for help than about knowing all the answers.

Christopher Lochhead is the host of the “Top 30 Business Podcast” Legends & Losers and coauthor of “Niche Down” and “Play Bigger”, #1 Amazon Best Sellers.