Leaders Run in Packs
Randy Wolken, President & CEO

The idea of the solitary, heroic leader is essentially a myth. Stories in modern business media often highlight individuals who seem to have single-handedly transformed companies or industries. The reality is success is rarely the result of one person’s actions. While leaders are undoubtedly important, they’re not the sole drivers of lasting achievements.

If you know anything about wolves, you know they survive and thrive by running in packs. Within the pack is a flexible leadership structure, but life-or-death challenges — like hunting — require teamwork. No wolf succeeds alone; the pack’s effectiveness determines its survival. Human organizations operate in a similar fashion.

In today’s world, the pace of change and the complexity of challenges make solo leadership nearly impossible. True success almost always involves a collective effort. If you look closely at any significant accomplishment, you’ll find a group of dedicated, talented, and hardworking leaders collaborating with others to achieve extraordinary results. Unfortunately, the headlines tend to celebrate individuals, not teams, but it’s the team dynamic that deserves recognition.

Take a recent example from my own experience here at MACNY. MACNY’s statewide initiatives to implement manufacturing and technology-based apprenticeships, including the New York Registered Apprenticeship Manufacturing Partnership (NY-RAMP) and the Manufacturers Intermediary Apprenticeship Program (MIAP). Since last July, NY-RAMP has assisted 159 stakeholders with registering 73 new apprentices. Our innovative approach has now positioned us as a national leader. How did we achieve this level of success so quickly and with limited resources? The answer is simple: group leadership. While specific individuals played critical roles, each would tell you that success was a result of a committed team working together toward a shared goal.

The same can be said now of our rapid expansion over the last three years covering New York State and serving over 1,200 Registered Apprentices in hundreds of companies. No other effort has served as many companies and individuals outside of New York State’s traditional construction and union-sponsored trades. If you’re interested in learning more about Registered Apprenticeship or our pre-apprenticeship efforts, you can visit our website or  schedule a meeting with a member of our talent development team.

Think about your own successful experiences at work or in the community. Were they the product of one person’s effort or did they come as the result of a group of leaders and contributors joining forces? I can’t recall a meaningful success story that relied on just one leader, but I can name countless examples where collective leadership created exceptional outcomes.

So, where does the individual leader fit in? Today’s leaders must either form or join teams of committed peers. Leadership is no longer about standing alone but rather about leaning into collaboration. Every one of us is called to lead, and when we embrace that role as part of a team, remarkable, sustainable results become possible. I’ve seen firsthand how organizations thrive when they practice joint leadership. The outcomes are not only impressive — they’re transformative; it’s humbling and inspiring to witness.

If you aspire to create meaningful, lasting impact, then you must focus on leading with others. When we lead together, we achieve more than anyone person!