As a writer, it’s not uncommon to get inspiration for a new piece from an unlikely source. And that is certainly the case with this one where I found myself finding some timely lessons on how to succeed at leading during these uncertain times while reading some of the tributes and stories shared in the days following the sudden passing of comedian Bob Saget.
Although I knew Bob’s work from “Full House” and “How I Met Your Mother”, I wasn’t particularly drawn to comment or write about his death any more than I would about any other celebrity. That is until I noticed a common thread in all the comments his friends and co-workers said about him. No, I’m not talking about how everyone spoke of what a genuinely nice guy he was.
Instead, what caught my attention was how clear it became in hearing all these different stories people had about Bob that he clearly put others before himself, and how that selfless attitude didn’t take away from his ability to be a successful stand-up comedian and actor on several popular shows.
Normally when we think of being selfless, there’s this assumption that we have to give up something. That we have to sacrifice our goals, our ambitions, our drives in order to take care of those around us. But what we can clearly see from Bob’s example is that you can be selfless and successful at the same time.
And while he might have been a comedian, there are some valuable lessons we can learn from his example for how to be a more successful leader in these uncertain and challenging times.
Be abundant in your mindset
On Twitter, “How I Met Your Mother” star Josh Radnor shared stories about his time with Bob, writing how Bob would “gush over my performance & tell me how he was studying me to make sure his vocal performance felt right. This man that I’d delighted in seeing on TV for years cheering me on, letting me know I had a right to be there and playing that character”
These days it seems like everyone is operating from a scarcity mindset. Whether it’s about various measures put in place to minimize the impact the Omicron variant will have on our healthcare systems (and with it, the healthcare workers who frankly are our healthcare systems), or debates over hybrid work offerings and how it might impact an organization’s culture, it seems there’s more focus on how we might be impacted individually instead of how we might benefit collectively.
Bob’s example of how he worked and collaborated with Josh illustrates how being abundant in our mindset frees us from operating from a fear of losing something, to being open to the possibilities of being a part of something bigger than us, something special even, if not also how we can do and make things better. It’s exactly those kinds of conditions that successful leaders create through their leadership and why they’re able to get the best from those under their care.
Be generous with your time
Probably one of the most heartfelt messages about Bob’s sudden passing came from late night show host Jimmy Kimmel who recorded a tribute the day after news broke of Bob’s death. In his tribute, Jimmy shared how he had “so many wonderfully kind and supportive texts and emails and calls from Bob. He always had a compliment … He was very kind to everyone and he had no problem telling you that he loved you and what you meant to him.”
In some of my leadership workshops, I conduct an exercise with leaders where I get them to share memories of the best leader they ever worked for. And consistently what gets shared in this exercise is not how much market share the company gained under their leadership, or what new products/services the company rolled out. Instead, what these senior leaders share are moments where this leader offered them a kind word about their abilities and potential, and how much they valued having them on their team.
These successful and fondly remembered leaders were generous with the time they gave to their employees because they understood the message it conveyed – that you matter to this team, you are valued by this organization, and your contributions help us all to succeed.
As Tom Peters mentioned in my interview with him for my podcast “Leadership Biz Cafe”, no one gets a tombstone made that highlights their company’s valuation when they died. Instead, much like the tributes being shared about Bob, they focus more on the impact they had on those they left behind.
Be supportive of others
In his tribute to Bob Saget, comedian Pete Davidson revealed that when he was struggling with mental health issues. Bob “stayed on the phone with my mom for hours trying to help in anyway he can – connecting us with doctors and new things we can try. He would check in on me and make sure I was okay.”
While it’s easy to make the connection between Pete’s example and the growing issues around employee mental health and well-being, there’s a much more important lesson leaders everywhere should take from this.
As so many of his friends and former colleagues have shared since his passing, Bob reached out to those around him not for attention or personal gain. Rather, he did so because he genuinely cared and wanted to do whatever he could to help those around him to do and be better.
As leaders, this should be one of the cornerstones of your leadership. That you are driven to help your employees because you care about them. That’s what relationship-building in leadership is all about, and it’s the most sustainable way to empower employees to bring their best efforts to the work they do.
When we hear stories about the life of someone like Bob Saget, of how many people loved him, of the lives he impacted, and how much he’ll be missed, it’s hard not to appreciate the final and most important leadership lesson we can all learn from this. And that is your legacy won’t be found on a spreadsheet, but in the impact you had on others and your efforts to make things a little bit better because you cared [Share on Twitter].
And if most leaders around the world and in different parts of our society can learn at least that lesson, there can be little doubt that we would all be far better off than we are today.