Are you asking the right question?

Strive not to be a success, but to be of value.

A CEO of a mid-level Australia–New Zealand company once asked me how he could be more successful in his role.

“I’ve got KPIs coming out of my woohoo,” he said,
“but I can’t see how I’m supposed to lead this team and tick every box.”

So I asked him a simple question.

👉 What does success look like?

“Targets. KPIs. Customer satisfaction. Revenue. Profitability.”

👉 And how do you achieve that?

“By making sure my team hits their targets.”

👉 So is this about you, or the team?

Silence.
“Both,” he finally said.

“But the question was about your success.”

That’s where most leaders get stuck.

When your definition of success depends on others, it becomes fragile. Frustrating. Exhausting.

So change the question.

Albert Einstein put it best:
“Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.”

After 15 years as a detective, 15 years as a high school teacher, and now as a business owner, I’ve learned one thing:

No one succeeds alone.

No detective ever solved a crime by themselves.
The detective is often the last person involved—relying on first responders, witnesses, forensic experts, scientists, and legal teams.

My role was usually the conductor, not the star.

Leadership works the same way.

The higher you climb, the more your success depends on how well you support others.

So I stopped asking:
❌ How do I succeed?

And started asking:
✅ How can I be of value?

To my team.
To my clients.
To the outcome we’re trying to achieve.

When people feel supported, trained, trusted, and valued—results take care of themselves.

If you’re leading a team and something isn’t clicking, maybe the answer isn’t another KPI.

Maybe it’s a better question.

How can I be of value?