A marker is meant for writing, right? Of course. But without its cap, it dries out and loses its value. That means no matter how useful the marker is, it still needs its cap. So, no matter your worth or skill in an organization, you need covering to remain effective over time. The cap plays a role the marker itself cannot play; the fact that it cannot cover itself is therefore a weakness. The two complement each other, forming a relationship of mutual support.

You need to complement one another, regardless of your degree or charisma. Everyone has something to contribute to the organization. Imagine the marker is a man named X who earned his PhD in London, and the cap is a man named Y who earned a Master’s degree in Benin. If X is the CEO of the organization and Y is his assistant, it means X needs Y to perform better in his role. One’s weakness may represent the other’s strength, and vice versa. That’s why John Maxwell said in his book Go for Gold:

“Teamwork is partnering with someone whose strength is your weakness, and vice versa.” Ulrich Mehouelley

In other words, it means looking for people within your organization whose talents are complementary and helping them work together. As a leader, this is how you must think. Complementarity is essential. That’s why Mother Teresa once said:

“You can’t do what I can do, I can’t do what you can do, but together, we can do great things.”

This text is an excerpt from the book BUILDING A STRONG TEAM written by ULRICH MEHOUELLEY.

We invite you to read the next article: “REBUILDING ONESELF.“

Leader’s Potential. Leader’s Potential.