I have been in the “corporate” world for nearly 10 years and only recently arrived at an insight that I knew intellectually but have not actively put into practice. This story will sound familiar.
A new year is coming and the business needs to forecast and prepare for the future. Meetings start to spin up on reviewing or creating a strategy for the team. It takes weeks (sometimes months) to get everyone aligned and decide on a strategic direction, the north star, for the near future.
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When an individual sustains a deep burn (2nd or 3rd degree) it destroys the nerve endings and they do not feel pain. The ideal burn healing looks like this: First blood returns to the wound site and appears bright pink or red. Next new skin reforms underneath the visible layer and pushes out the old dead skin. While the new skin is forming underneath the wound site the nerve endings are also regenerating. Pain returns until a layer of protective skin can cover the nerve endings.
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In 1911 two explores set off to be the first team to reach the South Pole and return. Roald Amundsen and his team reached the pole first and returned alive. Robert Falcon Scott and his team did reach the South Pole but perished on the return journey home.
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Over the last several weeks I have pondered ways that I can add greater value to those who read my post. In my work I use and am exposed to several tools to help me to be a better leader. I want to start sharing those with you.
The tool I’ll share today is called a “trigger diary”. I learned about this tool from my good friends Simon and Fiona at Purposeful Change. But first some context.
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My family and I love to go hiking. Regardless of where we hike, if there are rocks on the trail you will inevitably discover cairns along the path. For those unfamiliar, a cairn is a stack of rocks on top of each other balancing in a statue like shape. They are beautiful, peaceful, and often look impossible or against the laws of nature.
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Last week I attended a Growth Summit and connected with one of my good friends who has run a 200-mile race. I have always been in awe of her ability to run that race – the physical endurance required seems virtually inhuman. The even more challenging part of training she told me was the mental training. Then in the context of both physical and mental growth she shared the following formula.
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The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect nearly every individual on the planet in some form or another. This has required a different approach to leading people. In my interactions with leaders, I have uncovered a perceived tension between caring for team members and keeping those same team members accountable for business results.
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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.
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Recently I was pondering on how I want to do so much more than I’m currently doing. There are great opportunities in my role at work where we can make a big impact. At home, there is much I want to do with my wife to raise our children. I feel I am happier than I have ever been in our marriage and yet I can see we can be even better and stronger. All of this combined with the fact that I believe there is more contribution inside of me that is not being shared with the world, I am feeling a bit overwhelmed and feel out of balance. I find myself asking if I’m spending time on the things that really matter most.
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I have come to discover that I enjoy uplifting and powerful musicals. Near where I live there is a small community theater that rotates popular musicals and my wife and I took our kids to The Sound of Music. I will say without shame that I love that musical and hope my kids will come to learn to appreciate the arts, music, and the amazing talent required to pull off these productions.
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I teach and invite people to act. Proud husband, father and amateur pizzaiolo