Episode 10: If You Want to Be a Great Leader, Be a Great Follower

Most leadership conversations focus on what founders need from their teams. But in this episode of Business on Top, I want to flip the script and talk directly to employees, emerging leaders, and team members who want to grow their careers, increase their impact, and become indispensable within their organizations. One of the most valuable lessons I learned climbing the corporate ladder was this: if you want to be a great leader someday, you first need to learn how to be a great follower. In this episode, I share what I've learned from both sides of the table, as an employee who worked her way into executive leadership and as a founder responsible for leading a growing team. We'll talk about how to create more value for your company, why the most promotable employees focus on growth before compensation, and how developing skills and solving problems ultimately creates greater earning power than simply asking for more. I also pull back the curtain on the realities founders face every day, the decisions, pressures, responsibilities, and unseen challenges that most team members never fully see. My goal is to help you better understand the perspective of your leader while identifying practical ways you can make a bigger impact within your role. If you've ever wondered how to position yourself for greater opportunities, become a stronger leader, or earn more by contributing more, this conversation is for you. And if you're a founder who's realizing that your team needs stronger communication, clearer accountability, and greater leadership capacity to support your next level of growth, I'd love to invite you to join me for our free Strategic Planning Masterclass on July 22 at 4 PM PST. During this live 90-minute training, I'll walk you through the same three-pillar framework we use with our private clients to evaluate business performance, assess team capacity, and identify the leadership shifts required to finish the year strong. You'll leave with greater clarity, stronger priorities, and a practical plan for creating momentum through year-end. Because extraordinary businesses aren't built by leaders doing everything themselves. They're built by teams that know how to grow, think, lead, and solve problems together. Resources → Watch this episode on YouTube → Learn more and register for our Strategic Planning Masterclass → Learn more and register for The Owner + Practice Manager Leadership Intensive → Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Blueprint → Learn more & book a call with our team to learn if the POP Leadership Academy is right for you! → Follow Kaeli on Instagram: @kaeli.lindholm