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Why does Jeff Bezos start his senior leadership team meetings in silence?
Why does Tom Brady spend voluminous hours studying film of his opponents?
Why does world-renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman continue to practice eight hours per day after playing professionally for 50 + years?
Why does Taylor Swift still take voice lessons?
We each do what we do because we believe that something beneficial will happen. Jeff Bezos starts his meetings in silence to create an environment that fosters laser focus and critical thinking. Tom Brady studies film to find one weakness in his opponent to win the game. For Itzhak Perlman and Taylor Swift it is to be the absolute best musicians they can be.
Why do you do what you do? That question was asked of me recently by a friend after I mentioned that I was asked to speak at an event in Seattle called The Great Conversation in Security. My friend knows I’m not an expert in security and wanted to know what I would say to an audience of Chief Security Officers.
I told my friend that the reason why I speak is simple. I speak in the hopes of making a positive difference in a leader’s success at work and satisfaction at home. I also paraphrased Chicago Evening Post journalist and humorist Finley Peter Dunne who said, “I speak to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” In other words, I speak to help an audience think in ways that are both uncomfortable and rewarding.
Why do you do what you do? Can you clearly articulate why you do what you do professionally or personally? If that question seems cumbersome or unwieldy, here’s a suggestion about how to get to your answer.
Ask yourself, what conversation do I want to start at work? What behaviors, issues or results are you seeing that need to be discussed? Is there a function or role in your in your department that has become complacent or comfortable and needs to be afflicted? Are there roles or functions that have been unattended, under resourced or afflicted that need to be comforted? Are any of your answers impacting your customer or employees’?
If you can’t be in Seattle next Monday, here’s a sample of my conversation with the security officers. It can serve as a conversation starter in your department or company.
1. How many of the leaders in our organization are living a purposeful professional life versus an accidental life? Is their leadership a catalyst for individual and collective greatness? Is their leadership giving those they work with permission to pursue and achieve greatness?
2. In our 24/7 hyper-connected world have we become “human doings” as opposed to “human beings”? Are we going from one meeting to another and from one high-stakes event to another without taking the time to think critically about what’s important? Is our creativity being stifled, and in turn, are we prone to doing what’s expedient as opposed to what’s valuable and differentiated?
3. How much of leadership in our culture is art and how much is science? Are we more interested in the scientific and reaching for the 7 principles, 5 irrefutable laws, or 13 behaviors of successful leadership? Are we supportive of leadership development that is highly personalized, invigorating, and deeply connected to making a difference in the lives of our stakeholders? Or, are we coloring in prescribed leadership boxes with predetermined colors?
4. Do we devote time, effort and money to developing a flourishing skillset (the work we do) and a flourishing mindset (what happens in between our ears)?
These are not navel-gazing questions, but questions that once answered increase the presence of passion, innovation, and growth.
Can you tell me why you do what you do? Maybe more importantly, can you tell me why your employees do what they do?
If you don’t have clear answers for you and or your team, reach out and schedule time for us to start your next great conversation at @ info@clarisconsulting.net.
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