“This is your life. Do what you love, and do it often” is how Holstee’s mission statement starts. These words fill me with passion and inspiration. How many mission statements do that?
Most mission statements describe, but never inspire. They use words like “be the best at…” or “being a leader in the…” They explain the what, not the why. Holstee’s mission is different. It answers the question of “why?” powerfully.
Why do we love superheroes–Ironman, Spiderman, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and more? Why are movies about heroes some of the highest grossing of all time?
For many, the hero represent our greatest hope for ourselves. They introduce us to a mythic journey every hero takes from ordinary to extraordinary.
Joseph Campbell was expert in mythology who wrote extensively about the path heroes from every time and culture take. He called it the hero’s journey. Continue Reading…
Yesterday’s Big Idea generated several interesting email conversations.
One relevant discussion focused on the difference between WHATs and WHYs. Many of us, myself included, fall into the trap of creating WHYs by simply rephrasing WHATs. For example, ‘putting the customer first’ is more of a WHAT even though it may sound like a WHY. To better understand what your WHY should be and avoiding getting stuck in a WHAT rut, ask yourself:
Emotion is a far greater motivator of action than rational thought!
Great leaders and great companies inspire action by starting with why, not what (see the Holstee Manifesto). Rather than say what they want you to do, or what product they want you to buy, they start with why–their purpose or core belief. They understand that emotions are connected with purpose.
If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.
— Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Apple doesn’t inspire action by talking about the great, feature-rich computers they make, they do so by helping us understand that they want to help people think differently.
Simon Sinek, author of Start with Why, recently gave a talk at TEDxPugetSound that captures why great people and great companies start with ‘why’ when motivating others.
Watch the first 10 or 11 minutes and ask yourself:
Continue Reading…
The benefits of creating an extraordinary team aren’t just tangible, they’re valuable. Ask yourself, does your team:
At TEDGlobal 2011, Tim Harford gave a powerful talk on the power of making good mistakes.
Watch his talk, then ask yourself:
What are you meant to do? Are you doing it now?
For most of us, doing what we are meant to do means doing what we are passionate about, talented at, and that fulfills a need. When passion, talent, and need intersect, we’re in that zone where we do our very best work–where we fulfill our mission.
What should you do if you’re not in the zone?
At our best, most of us are very good. We are effective leaders, we bring out the best in others. We are disciplined, decisive, committed, engaged, inspiring, and authentic.
At our worst, we can be pretty bad. We are less than ineffective leaders, we are destructive. We are unproductive, we pull others down. We are weak willed, indecisive, uncommitted, disengaged or worse, discouraging, and fake.
Take time to prepare for your worst. Plan your positive response to negative situations you are likely to face. Be prepared to re-double your efforts when others are disengaging. Be ready to create when others are reacting.
Let’s take the advice of Maya Angelou and live life, “Hoping for the best, prepared for the worst, and unsurprised by anything in between.
