A leader's value goes beyond their individual contributions

While interviewing with a company today, I was talking to the Human Resources Director about a philosophy that I have. I told her that some people like to know that when they go on vacation that everything back at the office falls apart because they are not there to keep it together. It makes them feel that they are important and they think that is shows their worth to the organization and higher management. They want others to think; wow this place just cannot survive without so and so. These are the same people that think that knowledge is power and make sure that they are the only ones that know how to perform certain tasks because it makes them indispensable. Unfortunately these types of people do not enable the organization to grow or develop.

I told her I take the opposite approach. I want to know when I go on vacation that everything will run smoothly while I am gone. In order to make sure that will happen, I have helped establish or improved enough processes and procedures so that things carry on. I have also helped people increase their ability to take on responsibility and perform. My value as a leader is derived not just from what I contribute as an individual, but what I am able to do to help others raise the level of their ability to perform. I always have strived to leave people and places a little better than I found them and worked to take organizations to the next level.
I came across this quote by Walter Lippmann years ago, “The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on.”