Hang On Tightly
I was travelling nearly 70 miles an hour on the highway when I looked into the side mirror of my truck and saw this grasshopper hanging on tightly. I don’t even know how he can do that! He does look to be having a great ride though—face in the wind, antennae laid back. One cool hopper.
That grasshopper reminded me of many leaders I know. They hold on tightly to what works for them; maybe too tightly.
Does This Look Like You?
Yes, some of these leaders have great leadership skills and techniques. But often, they hold on so tightly to what’s familiar that they give up learning something new that would take their leadership to the next level. Sometimes you must set aside what you already know to gain a new skill. You have to let go of what’s comfortable to learn something new.
Some of the most revolutionary changes in our world came from people who let go of what they knew, thought differently, and were willing to challenge the status quo. Think about the Wright Brothers in their bike shop, Jobs and Wozniak in their garage, Oprah in a modest Baltimore TV studio, Edison at his workbench or Rosa Parks on a bus. All of those leaders stepped outside their comfort zones and made big changes without nearly as many resources at their disposal as we have today.
How Do I Let Go?
We all have routines at work. Maybe the first thing you do is open email. Maybe you walk the halls to get the pulse for the day. Those are all good things, but when is the last time you did something out of the ordinary? If you have to stop and think, it’s been too long. How can you expect to solve new problems if you don’t have new skills?
One great way to let go of what you know and think differently is to start each day with a focus on improving your leadership. Let go of that morning start-up routine and spend the first few minutes of your day focusing on a good leadership resource. You generally cannot grow on your own, and certainly not as quickly as you will by surrounding yourself with good leadership resources. We all know this, but when we start the day in the comfort and familiarity of that start-up routine, we usually put off leadership development or ignore it altogether. I challenge you to step outside of that routine and put what is most important first!
If you want to be a great leader, hang out with great leaders first thing in the morning by watching their videos, reading their blogs or even 5 pages of one of their books. You’ll improve your leadership and maybe become one cool hopper.
Try something you’ve never done before.
If you are wondering where to start, check out the new book, “Must Be Present To Win.”
It can transform your effectiveness. It can magnify your influence. It can change lives, including your own.
Add my new book to your summer reading list.