The first step is recognizing that no one is perfect. Everyone continues to grow and develop, even long after graduation. So if someone is failing, struggling, or not pulling their weight, consider that they may simply need your help. In school, your efforts to support others might go unnoticed, but in the workplace, consistently helping colleagues improve will set you apart from the rest.

In most team sports, every member plays an important role, but there are usually one or two players who elevate everyone around them. Their skill, knowledge, and attitude “rub off” on others. Teammates are inspired and motivated by them, and they naturally become people others look up to. These peak performers—those who help raise the level of their peers—are truly invaluable.

To avoid “freezing” people—believing they will never grow or change—you must develop the ability to inspire. And the simplest, most powerful way to inspire others is to genuinely believe in them. Believe, challenge, and support.

High-value leaders and high-value individuals do exactly this: they believe in people’s potential, they challenge them to rise, and they support them as they grow.

Be a high-value individual (HVI). Level up—and don’t freeze people or yourself.