The Journal of Social Science & Medicine released an article that showed the science of one of the first things we teach our kids: helping others is good.
Not only is it good for that person being helped, but according to the article, it's good for the person helping. Science says that we are happiest when we make our lives about someone else. In doing things for others we take the focus off ourselves, and thereby find some form fulfillment.
As leaders, our goal should be to help others. Although it may be focused on a task or a job or building people, our ultimate goal is to help them. We are bringing them to a place where they are a better version of themselves because of our leadership. We are helping.
Leadership is more than about the task at hand. It's about the people. Harvard Business Review says that employee retention is largely based on how leadership in their company is leading. If employees felt like they weren't able to use their strengths, able to enjoy the actual work, or develop themselves professionally, they were 33% more likely to leave in the next 6 months.
Basically, the leadership wasn't helping them. They weren't being set up for success by those in power, so they left for a place that they were being helped. The Harvard Business Review offers several options and strategies for how leadership can help those in a lower position, but the science for success is leadership is the same as when we were kids: helping others is good.