What does Carnegie mean when he says,” you cannot push anyone up a ladder unless he is willing to climb a little himself”?

You Cannot push anyone up the ladder unless he is willing to climb

“You cannot push anyone up the ladder unless he is willing to climb himself.” This quote from Andrew Carnegie, one of the most famous entrepreneurs in history, serves as both a caution and a challenge to today's leaders.

Explanation:

This quote from Andrew Carnegie, one of the most famous entrepreneurs in history, serves as both a caution and a challenge to today’s leaders. On the surface, the quote seems to tell you only what you cannot do, and sets a simple hard limit. You that you can’t push people to success if they’re not willing to put forth the effort to climb the ladder to success by themselves. No matter how great you are as a leader, you can’t drag them up along with you by doing their work.

Organizational Development - Climbing the Ladder to Success With Your TeamAt the same time, the quote also alludes to your responsibilities as a leader. A team member will have to do the climbing himself, but as a leader it is also part of your job to show them the ladder, show them how to climb, and explain what’s at the top in an effort to get them excited about the climb. As a leader, providing the motivation is part of your job. Recognizing that, and being able to do it, is a crucial part of leadership development.

So how can you help your people climb up the ladder?