There’s a popular saying that often makes the rounds in leadership conversations: ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’ For those near the C-suite or aspiring to reach it, this isn’t just a pleasant idea: it’s a necessary mindset shift. Fast can be tempting. Fast is individual deadlines, quick decisions, and moving without debate. But if you’re building something that’s meant to last, something that’s meant to outgrow you: fast won’t be enough. You need to go far.
Far is better, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy or pleasant.
And yet, going far doesn’t always feel natural or motivating. Most teams are structured around short-term wins: finalise the presentation, hit the quarterly sales target, close the funding round. And teams themselves are constantly evolving. People join. Others are promoted. Some leave. This makes long-term momentum feel difficult, even elusive. A highly functional team takes time to form — and just as it starts operating at its best, it often changes shape again.
But here’s the paradox: going far is always more effective than going alone. A cohesive, resilient team will outpace any individual in the long run. That’s what senior leaders must remember — and reinforce. You need the team. And you need to mentor and advise your team that they need each other. Individual wins matter, but long-term success comes when the whole team feels invested in the outcome.
So how do you lead in a way that makes this possible? It comes down to three key behaviours: giving your team the destination, fostering adaptability, and leading inclusively.
Everyone should know the destination (and ride together)
Your team can’t go far if they don’t know where they’re going. As a leader, one of your most critical roles is to set and communicate the destination. This isn’t about laying out every step of the journey — it’s about giving clarity on the purpose behind the work. When people understand the why, they’re more motivated, more aligned, and more capable of making good decisions in complexity.
And in a culture where short-term thinking often dominates, this clarity matters more than ever. If people see their individual tasks in isolation, they lose sight of how their work contributes to something bigger. But if they know where they’re headed — and why it matters — they can find momentum even amid setbacks. There’s strong evidence that purpose directly drives performance. According to MIT Sloan Management Review, ‘When employees find their work meaningful, they are more engaged, more productive, and more loyal — outcomes that benefit both the individual
and the organisation.’ So, articulate the destination regularly. Not just in annual planning or strategy decks, but in everyday conversations. Ground your feedback, priorities, and praise in where you’re going. People don’t need perfection — they need direction.
Role model adaptability
The only constant in modern organisations is change. Whether it’s restructuring, emerging technology, market shifts or hybrid work, your team is navigating a continuous stream of disruption. And that means adaptability has to be more than a buzzword — it must become a team skill.
But that starts with you. Teams won’t embrace flexibility unless they see it modelled from the top. If you resist change, hesitate to update old habits, or shy away from uncertainty, your team will too.
Instead, show what it looks like to be curious, not defensive. To test new approaches, admit when the context has changed, and invite others to shape the solution. Build a culture where feedback flows in all directions, and agility is rewarded — not feared.
Interestingly, research supports this too. Studies show that team performance is less about the intelligence of individuals, and more about how well they collaborate. A study in Science on collective intelligence found that ‘teams that perform well are not necessarily composed of individuals who score highest on individual measures of intelligence, but rather individuals who are good at reading social cues and contributing equally.’ In other words, the collective group is more than (and maybe not directly related to) an assembly of intellectual power. Group thought includes dialogue and communication, which itself increases innovation and productivity
In short, if you want to build a team that goes far, build a team that evolves — and lead the way by evolving with them.
Lead the whole team, not just a few
One of the easiest traps to fall into as a senior leader is narrowing your circle. You start relying more heavily on the voices you trust — the high performers, the like-minded thinkers, the ones who always deliver. And without meaning to, you start leading only part of the team.
But a team can’t go far if only a few feel seen, heard or invested. Inclusive leadership means being present for everyone — even when it’s harder. It means giving stretch opportunities across the team, not just to your favourites. And it means listening to quieter voices, not just the loudest ones in the room. This isn’t just about fairness — it’s about performance. According to a Deloitte report, ‘Employees who feel included are more likely to report higher levels of loyalty and commitment, and they’re more willing to go above and beyond in their work.’
Inclusive leadership creates teams that are not only more loyal, but more resilient. When everyone feels part of the mission, they stay longer, contribute more, and push through challenges together. In this context, I mean inclusiveness across all dynamics. Embrace different perspectives and experiences. Build a communication muscle that is resistant to confirmation bias and can gaze with a world view. (I wrote here about how leaders can understand teams better, if you want to know more!)
Fast wins, until it doesn’t. No one goes far (or gets to the top) alone
If you’re moving fast but you’re the only one gaining ground, you’re not leading — you’re just outpacing. And in the long run, you’ll burn out, stall, or leave others behind. The most effective senior leaders understand that going far will always depend on the strength of the team.
So yes, celebrate individual wins — but see them as team victories. Coach your people to rely on one another. Make collaboration the norm, not the exception. Remind everyone — and yourself — that success is a team sport.
In terms of my background and expertise, I have spent my entire career working as a trusted advisor to senior leaders wanting to improve the effectiveness of themselves, their teams and their companies. Prior to starting my own consulting firm, I led the global executive assessment and development team for Cisco. Earlier in my career I held leadership roles with RHR International, PepsiCo, Ashridge Executive Education, Hult International Business School and the Central European University, Budapest, Hungary.
