Leadership that fosters growth—Why true greatness lies in the success of others

Leadership is changing, just like today’s working world. Whereas authority, control, and expertise often set the tone in the past, other things are now at the forefront: serving the team and helping people reach their potential instead of suppressing it. No statement sums up this change better than that of our managing director Felix Neugebauer, who said when looking ahead to the future of the company: “I want you to be better than me.”
What may sound almost provocative to some is in fact a true sign of modern leadership strength and a powerful impetus for the development of people, teams, and organizations.

A leadership style that exudes confidence

The expressed desire for employees to become “better” than their managers requires something that is often lacking in many companies, namely genuine trust. Trust in the abilities and strengths of one’s own team, as well as in the potential that it can develop. This leadership style pushes one’s own ego aside and creates space for others to grow and develop—professionally, personally, and interpersonally.
This does not mean that leadership, and especially one’s own role, becomes unimportant – quite the contrary. It means that leadership is no longer the center of attention, but rather a means of making room for people. The role shifts away from being a decision-maker to being an enabler.

Why this leadership approach is so effective

This style has several positive effects that strengthen a company and propel it forward:

• Commitment increases: Those who realize that others believe they are capable of surpassing themselves become more involved—out of conviction rather than a sense of duty.
• Innovative strength grows: When different perspectives count and not everything is decided by a “final authority,” new ideas emerge more quickly and boldly.
• Resilience in the team: Teams in which members can think and act independently not only become more robust and less dependent on individuals, but also work in a more solution-oriented manner.
• Sustainable development: Those who empower others create stable structures in the long term, even beyond their own person. In this way, leadership becomes a multiplier for the entire team.

What “I want you to be better than me” really means

These words are more than just a motivational phrase. They demonstrate an understanding of leadership that creates a culture of development. Leadership on equal terms, with a clear goal: not to mold people, but to empower them to go their own way. And perhaps even to do so better than you could ever do yourself.
Of course, this does not mean that leadership becomes irrelevant or that there is no longer any need for managers. Strong and meaningful leadership is just as important as ever. What changes is the ego behind it, which is replaced by trust.
This leadership style requires courage. Courage to relinquish control in some areas and to see oneself not as irreplaceable, but as a companion for others.

How companies benefit from this

A company that promotes such leadership cultures not only builds good teams, but also builds a sustainable structure. The skilled labor situation, increasing pressure to innovate, and the demands of younger generations call for leaders who no longer define themselves by power, but by impact.
When employees are not kept small but are encouraged to think big, something emerges that no strategy in the world can replace: genuine commitment to the task, the team, and the company.

BITOU accompanies this change

At BITOU, we repeatedly see what can happen when managers create space for teams to rediscover themselves.
Our goal is not to offer ready-made solutions with our modules, but to make the development that takes place tangible.
Because leadership does not happen overnight, but begins with the attitude of not seeing oneself as the measure of all things, but as part of a shared journey.

Conclusion: Leadership that fosters growth

“I want you to be better than me” is not a sign of weakness or of selling yourself short. It is a sign of greatness and confidence in the abilities of your own team.
This approach not only changes the role of a manager, but also the mindset throughout the entire company. And perhaps this is exactly the kind of leadership that our times need right now!

|Pia Neugebauer