How many times have you watched children jump off a dock or a swing into a lake with arms outstretched, landing with a splash?
When was the last time you were that excited about taking the plunge?
Kids take risks because they haven’t experienced the consequences of miscalculations.
As leaders we are taught to mitigate risks while relentlessly pursuing goals. Those behaviors are reflected in the way our teams perform, for better or worse.
I’ve made choices in my life that were often calculated to minimize risk on my career, people and money, but one time it was about simply taking a risk on myself.
The CEO’s Compass – Your Guide to Get Back on Track is the book that summarizes all my experience and those of others to help leaders navigate rapid change and lead their teams towards true north or Peace of Mind. It was simply a concept in November 2020, but I set the intention to write the book after finding my book coach Judy Weintraub of Skillbites.
I had reasonable validation that my writing made an impact on people especially when one article went viral on Linkedin The Leadership Gap: What your High Potentials are Not Telling You and Why They’re Leaving You. Out of a need for expression and sharing insights to inspire others, I realized I could impact people on a greater level.
Book Writing for Non-Writers
The challenge that lingered was from my high school days of getting nothing more than a B in English with red marks on my papers indicating my work was less than perfection. I was also thwarted when the graduation speech I poured my heart into was not selected; making me doubt did I have anything worthy of saying and for people to listen to. My love for writing was quickly getting challenged by society for which I assumed the narrative I was not a good writer. Taking the less risky approach, I quickly learned as a practicing STEM professional that clear, concise writing and mastering the “powerpoint” was my low risk path forward to communicate.
This path was low risk, but in my heart and my gut, I was unfulfilled and each time I spoke up and said anything different than the mainstream, society further amplified the doubt of speaking up.
In recent times, you’ve heard me speak about the presentation I made at a global meeting and said that the path forward for my region was not about “What” we did, but “Why” the team exists and “How” we were going to work differently. To that way of thinking, senior leadership admonished me for not following the standard of presenting the “What” we were going to do detailed plan.
So with all of that doubt about my capability why would I set the intention of writing a book that is meant to inspire people to think differently about business? And then this happened…
- The people in my life who did not appreciate my work are no longer relevant.
- The people in my life who did appreciate my work were very relevant.
- The person who I could depend on to see the future and persist forward was myself.
Given that logic, what could hold me back? And given the same logic, what should hold you back? No one…
The next time you see someone jumping off a dock into a lake, seeking the thrill of the cold water hitting their body and that sense of accomplishment… Could that person be you?
Think about it…
And on that thought, if these insights were helpful for you, I extend my offer of The CEO’s Compass – Your Guide to Get Back on Track; is now available on Amazon. While written for the CEO, the insights and inspiration transcend all professionals regardless of their place in the career hierarchy.
If you’d like to discuss this article or something that might be holding you back from a major decision, let’s talk.
Resources
Good Reads
The Self-Employed Life by Jeffrey Shaw
While on vacation this week, I finally had the opportunity to read this book; someone who was instrumental in my journey to take a risk on myself as well as a guest on The Drop in CEO podcast. This work can help anyone who is simply trying to create the “eco-system” to control your destiny vs. one that is by circumstances.
Good Music
As I listen to this piece, it takes me to a reflective place of realizing the work that I’ve done has been good and has brought me joy. It is calming and celebratory. Something we / you need to do more of. Recognize past successes as the motivation to keep moving forward.
Good People
Cameron Herold: Strengthening Your Partnership with Your COO
As I was in the final leg of my journey back from Switzerland, on my layover in Washington DC, I was listening to Cameron and was inspired by one of his comments. He says something like Focus on your Zone of Genius and Delegate the Rest. This speaks to me from the standpoint that we should focus on our strengths to propel us forward and minimize the influence of those things that are “not”. Find a way to push through and around and leverage other resources who are better and can support us in where we need to go.