Category: Career

Sometimes It’s Better To Be A Role Player

I've been thinking a lot recently about role players. When you think about it, these folks are very crucial to any REAL team. You know what I mean, a group of people who know the goals are bigger than the individual desires of each team member. Well, I digress, the role players are crucial. Most significant victories would never happen without them.

There is a certain implication that comes with being a role player, namely you must be willing to be in the background or behind the scenes. Humility is the implied character trait here. This is difficult. Our culture (business, media, church, and maybe even family) doesn't laud humility. So it can lead you to wonder where's the spotlight on your achievements. Maybe you don't need the limelight. Maybe the limelight is overrated.

You need to evaluate hard what the coaching staff looks like in your organization. If it's weak, then time to reconsider. Effective organizations know the importance and live out the importance of strong coaching. They know that the best coaches know how to get the best out of each player. The best coaches take the time to understand each individual and then find the place where they can excel. Again, the application applies to multiple places in life. So whether you're a reserve guard for a team in the Sweet Sixteen or a business analyst in a Fortune 500 firm, you've got to have a coach that knows you and you have to have the humility accept not a lot of lime light if your best suited to be a role player.

We all need to find that place where we're satisfied with our role. Even if it's the role of a role player.

Viva La Vida and Power


  

This video is from a song by Coldplay.  Maybe you've heard it before.  But have you had the chance to read the lyrics?  Take a look:

I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sleep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own

I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes
Listen as the crowd would sing
"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"

One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me
And I discovered that my castles stand
Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason I can't explain
Once you go there was never
Never an honest word
And that was when I ruled the world

It was the wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let me in
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People couldn't believe what I'd become

Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason I can't explain
I know Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason I can't explain
I know Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world

One thought occurred to me this morning (very early); what if power is best understood once its been lost.  Maybe when you're powerless you gain the sweet awareness of what it all meant.  Sounds like the writer of Viva La Vida understood this.

In our time humilty is something we say we admire, but rarely do we want to actually, authenically, live it out.  There's still a bit of mental stigma with the whole idea.  Not many messages out there about letting someone or something else go first.  Sadly, we often crave to be number one and in-turn crave power.

What if power is a wild beast that can only be handled by people who understand its ferrious nature and all the dangers accordingly?  What if power is subtle and can sneak up on you after you've stop paying attention?

Here are some points to consider around power:

  1. Don't be fooled by all the treasure power can bring.  It can go as fast as it came.
  2. More organizations should require all managers to take a class/workshop on power.  I conduct these, so I am ready.
  3. Power can be a great tool to help.
  4. Power in the hands of arrogant and reckless people creates chaos.
  5. Learn humility.

 

When Leaders Decide To Turn Around

When a leader decides to repent (I know that term conjures images of a fire and brimstone preacher, but it simply means "to turn around") it's a great thing.  It signifies an awakening and a desire to change.  I applaud leaders in, and out, of the corporate world who are courageous enough to make this type of move.

Now for the painful dangerous part.

As much as I would love to tell you that all of the followers will applaud when a leader turns around, I can't.  There will be opposition and resistance to the leaders new-found awakening.  The why question is multi-layered, but one big answer can be found in the history of the leaders direction and actions.  For example, if the leader has for years only praised you when senior management was around, then it's a sign of career posing.  It takes time (a lot of it) for people to accept and believe in the change from counter-genuine to authentic.  

The dangerous part is found in the leader who gives into the temptation of giving up because of skepticism on the part of their followers.  Our culture likes results fast.  But the leader should not expect speed here.  If the leader can set the expectations appropriately, then the chance of perseverance grows markedly.  The take-away here is, don't give up if you believe in the "turn around."

Make the decision to turn around…you won't regret it.

Doing The Right Thing

Mandela Prison Cell 
  
I read once that Nelson Mandela could have been released from that South African prison a lot earlier, if he would have sworn not to speak out about the evils of apartiheid once released.

Got me thinking…

Doing the right thing was never meant to be easy because of the following:

  1. Greatness only allows those who can do the right thing to enter.
  2. If it were easy, then…
  3. Like the fields, tilling is essential and it hurts.
  4. It needs to be built, and building implies pain.
  5. Life and order depend on it.

What would you add to the list?

Twisting Fate

Edision 

I can't remember exactly how many times Thomas Edison failed as he tried to bring his light bulb idea to life.  Was it a hundred failed experiments?  Maybe it was a thousand.  Regardless, he failed multiple times. 

This post really isn't about overcoming failure, though that could be helpful.  I really want to explore the mindset of having a willingness to stumble, a willingness to be the fool, the willingness to launch something most in the herd don't see nor understand.

I think we're way to willing to accept dime-store imitations (you fill in the blank here) when it comes to creative and inspiring leaders.  And by the way, creative and inspiring leaders are the types of leaders with substance and reality backing them up.  I'm not referring to a leader of a three-ring-circus or some executive who pulls out talking points from 5 years ago.

I'm not sure we recognize authentic when we see it.

Preserving your rep. at the expense of something given to you by heaven is foolish.  Your mortgage, 401K, bonuses or a nice fat promotion won't be there for you in the long run.  Those are temporary states that can change in a moment.  We know this to be true, whether we're willing to admit it or not.

Could it be that Edison was not so special?  What if everyone was supposed to pursue an end, even if it meant repeated failure?  What separated Edison from his herd was his willingness to take the step of twisting fate even if he didn't know where it would ultimately lead.  I define twisting fate as someone who acts on faith, realizing that the final product/outcome will resemble a mosaic more than a picture-perfect portrait.

This is hard work that many turn away from.

Don’t Be Charmed By Security

Even with the economic conditions here in the States, specifically the employment situation, many still seem to be charmed by security.  I'm alluding to security in the form of career/work.  Now certainly, some have all but concluded that security is a myth.  But I find many career/work pilgrims are disturbed by current trends.

I used to be in that group, but am now a freak of the not-so-weird variety.  Why?  I entered my period of mass disruption almost 4 years ago.  Back then many felt certain about the future.  Now…

Well, let's face it, life (all things in) has never been certain.  And that's part of our problem.  We bought the marketing message of "too big to fail."  I know we're better off with a sense of not taking anything for granted.  Especially since that's the way business and life were supposed to be conducted/lived.  Leaders of the highly developed nature know this to be true.

We just haven't done a good job at handling success and good times.

Now's the time to embrace uncertainty and insecure times.  Watch your values shift and find out what right alignment is all about.  I think the following might open up for you:

  1. God knows what he's doing.
  2. Family and relationships trump everything but #1.
  3. You don't need as much as you think (trust me, the economy will be ok).
  4. You'll demand more of your organization.  For example, your paid for your results, not your time.
  5. Taking a pay cut in order to do something impacting will seem right as rain.