A few weeks ago, I was in the home of a man with many talents. Carl can fix just about anything with his hands and is incredibly talented in music. By every measure I can think of, he is a leader. I learned something that day that still sticks with me.
As we talked, he described a musical production he was asked to put on as a volunteer. His job was to recruit other volunteers to sing, play music, and perform. This required hours of practice and a unique dedication both from Carl and all who participated. He led this production year over year, and it began to become more popular with hundreds of people attending. In the beginning, he would take who he could get for various parts. Soon there was pressure to cast only those who had the most talent in the crucial roles.
Carl had a principle he followed from the beginning and did not bend under the pressure. This production would be about building up “the one”. As individuals auditioned, it was not about who had the most talent, but it was about who could grow and blossom into their best selves with the role.
There are two primary lessons I took away from our conversation that are linked to practicing leadership.
- Good principles, consistently followed, bring magic.
- Serve the one to impact more people.
My friend stood by his principles, and it was clear to me that it was one of the reasons behind the remarkable success he saw. Success, or excellence, which feels like it is overnight to me looks like magic. This was no doubt years of practice and repetition that allowed Carl to have the impact he did, not only on the people in the program but on me.
Focusing on “the one” feels like the exact opposite of scaling to more people. It takes tremendous time and energy to help “the one” and inherently means it does not scale. Carl focused on the one and because of it had a greater impact. It reminds me of the design principle in Inclusive Design – solve for one, extend to many.
My invitation to you is to identify one person you are going to help/serve. Over the next three weeks find opportunities to serve them. The service can be small. Throughout the three weeks write down what you observe / learn.
