Success is not a solo sport: Why leadership is a team effort

We love a lone genius story. The CEO who “saved” a company. The leader who “single-handedly” changed everything. The visionary who defied the odds. These stories are compelling: clear, dramatic, easy to digest. But they are rarely the full picture. The truth is, no one does it alone. Leadership is not a solo act; it is a team effort, whether we choose to acknowledge it or not.

The myth of the self-made leader

There is something undeniably seductive about the idea of the self-made leader. It makes for great headlines. It feeds egos. It gives us neat, digestible narratives. But in practice? It is fiction. Leadership is not about lone-wolf decision-making. It is about the people you surround yourself with, the ones who challenge you, support you, and, let’s be honest, keep you from making terrible decisions.

No leader, no matter how brilliant, operates in a vacuum. The best decisions come from diverse perspectives, healthy debate, and an ability to listen as much as you direct.

The moment a leader starts believing they have to have all the answers themselves is the moment they start making avoidable mistakes.

Leadership as a contact sport

Leadership is a high-contact sport. You are constantly engaging, negotiating, influencing, and being influenced. Every decision you make impacts people, and every interaction shapes how you are perceived.

If you are not actively leaning on your team, your advisors, your peers, you are missing the point of leadership altogether.

Take a look at any high-performing organisation, and you will notice one common trait: strong, collaborative leadership teams. Not one brilliant CEO carrying the weight of the world, but a leadership group that functions as a dynamic unit, bouncing ideas off each other, filling in gaps, and keeping each other accountable. The most effective leaders are not the ones who know everything, they are the ones who know how to leverage the strengths of the people around them.

And yes, there are leaders whose sheer energy and force of personality can propel an organisation forward, at least for a while. Some are dynamic, visionary, and seemingly unstoppable and we are surrounded by great examples of said leaders. 

But no matter how brilliant, no leader can sustain success alone. Like all shooting stars, they will burn out without the right team around them. Charisma and drive might get you far, but they will not keep you there.

The public and private sector mess we are seeing

Right now, we are witnessing what happens when leaders forget this. Across the public and private sectors, we see high-profile figures making decisions in silos, refusing input, and operating under the illusion that they alone have the right answers. The result? Chaos. Poor judgment calls. Erosion of trust. The myth of the solo leader is not just outdated; it is actively harmful.

Look at the governments struggling to function because collaboration has been replaced with competition. Look at companies floundering because leadership teams are operating in disconnected bubbles.

Of course, not every leader in these sectors is getting it wrong, plenty of good examples of those getting it right.

But the ones who are getting it wrong? They are making it painfully obvious why isolation at the top is a fast track to failure.

So, what is the alternative?

If success is not a solo sport, what does good leadership look like? Here’s the condensed version:

1. Surround yourself with smart people and LISTEN to them

Hiring talented people is only half the battle. The real skill is giving them the space to contribute meaningfully. This means creating a culture where people are not afraid to challenge you, where dissenting opinions are not punished but welcomed, and where you are not the only person allowed to have good ideas. I know, shocker.

2. Drop the “I have to prove myself” mindset

This one is tough, but leaders have to remind themselves that they got the role for a reason and not every room they walk into is a room then need to prove themselves in. 

The issue is that some leaders operate as if they need to justify their position constantly.

But leadership is not about proving you are the smartest person in the room, even if you are! It is about creating an environment where the smartest ideas win, regardless of where they come from.

3. Make it safe for people to disagree with you

The moment your team starts telling you only what they think you want to hear is the moment you have lost touch.

Great leaders cultivate psychological safety, where people feel comfortable raising concerns, pointing out blind spots, and offering alternative viewpoints without fear of repercussions.

Leaders need to understand the power dynamics and human psychology behind why people might not feel safe telling them the truth. Ultimately, there is always an imbalance of power, but a great leader recognises this and actively works to level the playing field. They create an environment where honesty is not just encouraged but rewarded. Where people trust that speaking up will not come at a cost to their reputation, opportunities, or job security.

The moment a leader stops hearing the truth is the moment they start making decisions in the dark.

4. Recognise that your influence is bigger than you think

Every leader sets the tone, whether they realise it or not. If you model collaboration, your team will follow. If you operate in an echo chamber, expect them to do the same. If you never admit when you are wrong, do not expect anyone else to, either. The culture you create will either amplify or undermine your impact. And yes, it is as simple as that.

Leadership is a relay, not a sprint

If you take one thing away from this article, let it be this: leadership is not about individual achievement alone; it is about collective success.

The best leaders know when to take the baton and when to pass it.

They understand that their job is not to go it alone but to create something bigger than themselves.

The lone leader is a myth. The best leadership is a team sport. The real power is not in going it alone, it is in knowing who to take with you. And what to shed along the way.

So, the question isn’t: How can I do this alone? The question is: Who do I need to do this with?

And as always, if you invest in yourself, and your team, the rewards will be unfathomable.

Until next time.