By Adeyinka Adeniran
One of the events that reveals the authentic character of every leader is when achievements are made in a team. Those moments evaluate how the team is celebrated, and credit is distributed. It is a pivotal moment which exposes whether a leader views himself as the star of the show or as the director who enables others to shine. The choice made by leaders in these instances doesn’t just reflect personal character; it determines the trajectory of the entire organization and the careers of countless individuals. An effective leader acknowledges the role his team plays in achieving success. This truth cuts through the veneer of corporate politeness and exposes one of the most destructive forces in organizational leadership.
Leaders require a shift in how they view their role, their value, and their legacy. They have a responsibility to understand the principle of being generous with praise and therefore strive to implement it consistently. Consider the situation with Adam Neumann during his tenure at WeWork. Neumann consistently positioned himself as the visionary genius behind every company milestone, rarely acknowledging the contributions of his team members in public forums or investor presentations. When WeWork secured major leases or partnerships, Neumann’s communications focused on his personal relationships and insights. When the company achieved rapid growth, he framed it as validation of his unique vision rather than the result of collective effort. This pattern of credit-hoarding had devastating consequences which eventually led to Neumann’s removal from leadership.
Neumann’s experience is in contrast with Jeff Bezos who consistently highlighted specific team members and departments responsible for achievements during the announcement of Amazon’s major milestones. His annual shareholder letters became renowned not just for strategic insights, but for the generous recognition of employee contributions. This approach didn’t diminish Bezos’ reputation as a visionary leader; instead, it enhanced his credibility by demonstrating that Amazon’s success was built on institutional strength rather than individual genius. The psychological impact of generous credit-sharing extends far beyond simple morale boosting. When leaders consistently acknowledge team contributions, they create a culture where excellence is rewarded, innovation is encouraged, and individuals feel valued for their unique contributions. This psychological environment becomes a competitive advantage that attracts top talent and drives sustained performance.
A great leader must be selfless, and this requires sharing credit with members of his team. Effective leaders must not seek their glory. They must acknowledge the efforts of their team members in the achievement of their results. Doing otherwise is a tacit sign of an ego problem. Satya Nadella’s transformation of Microsoft exemplifies this principle in action. When Nadella became CEO, he inherited a culture where individual leaders often competed for credit and recognition. His approach fundamentally changed this dynamic through consistent, public acknowledgment of team achievements. When Microsoft’s cloud business achieved major milestones, Nadella’s communications highlighted specific engineering teams, product managers, and sales professionals who drove results. When partnerships succeeded, he recognized the relationship-building efforts of business development teams. The result was an explosion of innovation and cross-functional collaboration that drove Microsoft’s remarkable financial and strategic resurgence.
The neuroscience research supporting generous praise is compelling. When individuals receive public recognition for their contributions, their brains release dopamine and other neurotransmitters that enhance motivation, creativity, and risk-taking behavior. This neurological reward system creates a positive feedback loop where high performance is intrinsically rewarding, leading to sustained excellence without constant external pressure. Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson in their book “One Minute Manager” talked about One Minute Praising as one of the three ways to manage a team in one minute. A good manager must not be stingy in expressing praises and commendations to his team members and giving them credit for what they have done. The “One Minute Manager” framework remains relevant because it emphasizes the importance of immediate, specific recognition. However, the most effective leaders go beyond generic praise to provide detailed acknowledgment of specific contributions and their impact on organizational success.
In summary, the mathematics of leadership are clear: when you multiply the recognition and motivation of your team members, you multiply your organization’s capacity for achievement. When you hoard credit, you limit your organization’s potential to what you can personally accomplish. The choice is between being remembered as a leader who built monuments to his own ego, or as one who built platforms for others to achieve greatness. The answer lies in your willingness to look in the mirror of leadership and choose generosity over ego, collective success over personal recognition, and sustainable excellence over short-term glory. This choice doesn’t diminish your value as a leader, rather it multiplies your impact in ways that ego-driven leadership never could.
Oluwole Dada is the General Manager at SecureID Limited, Africa’s largest smart card manufacturing plant in Lagos, Nigeria.
