Great leadership leaves clues

Many congratulation to Ben Tyson on his 10^th anniversary at Born Social. I loved his post (below) and as I read it I spotted a few clues as to why this young man (young for a CEO) has become such an outstanding leader and why he has had such an impact on Born Social.

I think these clues are worthwhile sharing for all other leaders, here’s what I spotted:

1. It’s occurred to him to post about this. But it’s not a humble brag – it’s a thank you note. He immediately calls out his phenomenal leadership team.
2. He doesn’t claim the credit. Not only does he call out the LT, he tells us that he joined them to start something.
3. It’s all about people. He joined for the talent. Right off the bat, he credits the team as the reason he joined, not the job.
4. He’s modest (genuinely). He loved the work and was only reasonably good at it. And this is true – Ben has surrounded himself with experts.
5. This guy can spot talent. He pulled together a team of motivated, talented, collaborative souls who together accelerated the business.
6. He learns from his decisions, even when the outcome was positive. He DID hire incredible people but still feels the need to reflect on those hires and his motivations.
7. He enabled his LT. He didn’t stand at the front and lead – he helped this team hone their talents.
8. He’s authentic. And you can see that in the way he describes the team – a mirror of himself: empathetic, talented, modest.
9. He has a plan and he executes it. Ben concluded right at the start that you hire for the long game. That’s a great plan.
10. Ben’s not done. He’s still reflecting on what has worked and what hasn’t and planning for more success. He’s leading.
11. He’s has wit and wisdom. Along with all the wisdom, you can see the self-effacing humour in the photo he chose.

So, huge congratulations on your 10^th anniversary Ben. It was a privilege to share a tiny part of your journey. And thank you for the inspiration – hopefully it will inspire lots of others too.

Andy.