“But of course you cannot transmit something you haven’t got.”
—AA Big Book
That quote from the recovery world lands in leadership too: you won’t lead (or support anyone) well if you’re not doing your own work first. Full stop.
Those of us in the helping professions—sponsors, coaches, therapists, leaders—can be tempted to take care of others while skipping our own reps. It backfires.
Estimates suggest as many as four in ten social workers quit within five years—high caseloads, admin drag, low support, and declining mental health will do that.1
And yes, social work is on the extreme end of the helping professions. But do any of those reasons for quitting look familiar?
Here’s what I’ve seen: good sponsors have a sponsor. Good coaches have a coach. Good therapists have a therapist. And good leaders lean on coaches, mentors, and therapists.
We’re human. Fear, ego, old patterns, or simple inexperience can jam us up. Getting support is clutch if you want to operate at a high level without letting that noise run the show.
If you want to be world-class, invest in your personal work. Personal development IS professional development. Olympians do it. Great fund managers do it. CEOs do it. Top artists do it.
Getting help isn’t just for people in trouble—it’s for anyone who wants to play at the top of their game and have a bigger, cleaner impact.
If you’re stepping into leadership, do everyone a favor and do your work. Otherwise, there’s a good chance you’ll make yourself—and your team—miserable because you can’t see what’s driving your behavior and communication.
Grounded leaders ground their teams. Supported leaders support their people.