It's Tuesday at 2:00pm! (PST Time: I live and work from Southern California)
LEADERSHIP QUOTES
I'm going to spend a few weeks looking at some great quotes. Over the past few weeks we've looked at quotes from Genghis Khan, Eleanor Roosevelt, Ghandi, Steve Jobs, Avot de Rabbi Natan, Abraham Maslow, Stephen R. Covey, Seth Godin, Patrick Lencioni, Brené Brown and John Lennon. You can read these posts HERE.
The format for this season is the following:
#1) LEADERSHIP QUOTE: I'm going to share a quote with you. I'd like to encourage you to think about it, respond to it, process it. You can stop here, or go to Section 2.
#2) A LITTLE BIT DEEPER: I'm going to share a couple of thoughts that come to my mind when I think about the quote. Just a short reaction from me. You can stop here, or go to Section 3.
#3) DEEPER STILL: I'm going to share something I've found from someone else: A quote, some tips, a challenge, a thought....
#4) RUSS' LIST: I'll continue to share some links, ideas, books or products that I think some of you might benefit from.
Russ
LEADERSHIP QUOTE:
"Scale creates distance." Simon Sinek
What does this stir up? Either write me HERE or comment at the end of the blog post HERE.
A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:
This is another quote I've had a hard time chasing down, but heard 2 people refer to Simon Sinek as saying this, and its stirred up some thoughts in my mind and heart.
Many times, we glamorize growth as being a sign of success. Bigger is always better. A larger organization must mean that we're making a larger impact.
The truth of Sinek's quote is this: When you grow, it creates distance.
What started as a passion and purpose in your heart grows into something that takes you further and further away from that passion and purpose.
I remember experiencing this with the success of a growing organization. While I liked leading a larger team to larger impact and results, I began to forget what it was that I was most passionate about, and I longed to get back to using my skills, my strengths and my giftedness. This eventually let me to making a change and actually leaving that position even though I was the founder and the originator of the vision.
Are you experiencing "distance" that is caused by your success? Have you been able to shift your mindset around your role and what is needed to continue to scale?
DEEPER STILL:
I read a book a couple of years ago that I still call one of my favorites: Small Giants by Bo Burlingham.
The book takes a look at a number of businesses that made the strategic decision to stay small and not scale. In doing this, they defined their purpose as being really good, really successful, but not following the path of growth that leads to distance.
One story was of a restaurateur who refused to open a restaurant that he couldn't walk to for lunch. That decision defined their growth potential, but he created a group of restaurants, all within walking distance, that became the best of the best.
Most leaders don't understand that feeling of distance because they have been working so hard to catalyze growth. Once they achieve that growth, they understand the cost.
Growth isn't bad, but growth in size isn't always necessary to experience growth in impact.
What are you pursuing? Greater scale and growth or greater impact? How will this pursuit affect you as a leader?
Things I'm Reading, Listening To and Watching This Week:
Small Giants by Bo Burlingham
Listen to Linda Ronstadt on Apple Essentials. Years of great music across diverse styles and platforms!
I watched this documentary on Apple the other day: "9/11: Inside the President's War Room". This looked at the President's perspective on the day as the news was unfolding. Really interesting as we look at 20 years since this horrific event in the USA.
This week, we're attending the 15th Leader Mundial Global Leadership Summit. For the past 15 years, we have brought together Global Leaders who are impacting the world through their vision and leadership, and Business Coaches, who come alongside with insight, encouragement and partnership. We spend 4 days together each year in a Coaching Community, and it's one of the highlights of my year. This week, we have 46 Leaders and Coaches gathered in the hills of Georgia to learn more about "The Role of a Leader". This community is primarily for leaders from OUTSIDE the United States. We are launching a community for leaders INSIDE the USA in 2022. If you're interested in finding out more about both of these communities, send me a note HERE.
I don't leave home without one of these in my backpack: SHARPIE
Great books by Simon Sinek: Start with Why. Leaders Eat Last. Find Your Why. Here's a YouTube video from Sinek called "Start With Why". It's worth the 18-minutes to watch it.