A young man, eager for adventure, convinced his parents to let him take the family boat down the river for a day of fishing. As dawn broke, he set off, the thrill of independence coursing through his veins. But the gentle rocking of the boat soon lulled him into a deep sleep.
He awoke with the sight of another boat heading towards him, threatening to collide. Panic turned to fury as he leapt to his feet, shouting at the approaching boat. “Who dares to steer so recklessly?” he fumed, his anger spilling out like hot lava.
But as the boats met with a dull thud, his rage was met with an unexpected revelation: the other boat was empty. His anger, so fierce and immediate, dissipated as quickly as it had come. In the stillness that followed, the young man was struck by a profound truth: his anger was his own, needing only the slightest provocation to be unleashed.
The river shimmered with the light of the rising sun, and in that moment of clarity, he understood that life was full of empty boats—situations and people that seemed to provoke but were, in essence, neutral. The real challenge lay in mastering his own reactions.
From that day forward, whenever anger threatened to overtake him, he reminded himself of the empty boat. The world was full of them, unavoidable and indifferent. The choice was his; to rage against an empty boat, or to find peace within himself.
I wish you a reflective and restful Easter holiday. Make the most of the empty boats that come your way.
Enjoy your April news2use!
Regards,
Dan
“Relevant & pragmatic ideas, tools and insights to play at your best.”
For You
How do you measure your progress, by the gain or the gap perspective?
The gain perspective (looking back to the starting point and measuring forward) helps us appreciate what we have learned and how far we have progressed since starting. When I feel stuck or frustrated, I will often say to myself, Dan what if you were starting from nothing, and you had none of this momentum, or meaningful learning content, or a vibrant learning community that is at your side? I immediately feel energized and use this moment to restart what I was doing.
The gap perspective measures forward, against an ideal outcome (and often unrealistic) You know someone is “gapping” when you hear them say, “I could have done so much better, or the result wasn’t really enough for me.” The gap perspective is measuring against an ideal state, and leaves us feeling hollow, not worthy, and as an underperformer.
Reflecting on your progress with the gain perspective creates positive energy, confidence, and fuels more progress. Help yourself and others create a larger and more meaningful life through the gain perspective.
For You & Your Team
“There are hidden agendas in my team. Everyone seems friendly on the outside but there are unspoken issues under the surface,” a CEO recently shared with me.
Hidden agendas distract leadership teams and cripple organizational performance. No matter how clever you are, the hidden agenda game is clear to those outside the leadership team.
What are the unwritten rules in and around your team? In other words, what do people talk about outside of the leadership team that they don’t talk about in the team?
List these statements and reengineer them, by turning them into positive statements that the team can stand behind. These positive statements can form standards of excellence and best practices to anchor positive interactions between team members and hold people accountable.
If hidden agendas are derailing your leadership team, feel free to reach out and let us discuss additional ways you can address them constructively.
For You, Your Team & Your Business
I have mentioned this resource before, yet I keep returning to it so it’s obviously worth mentioning again. Ben Horwitz’s book, “The Hard Thing About Hard Things” is a hugely pragmatic resource, so put this on your Easter holiday reading or listening list. He talks about the importance of running towards hard things. How about you and your executive team – as you review your meeting agendas for the past three months, what percentage of your agenda points are really about hard things?
The most effective way to follow Ben’s advice about running towards the hard things is to get the hard things on your meeting agenda.
People, Places & Technology
Are you part of a leadership team that is eager to improve your performance and organizational outcomes, yet finds it difficult to create the time and space to do so? No matter how busy your leadership team is, you’ve got to meet, and you’ve got to eat, and this is a perfect setting for Dan’s Lunch and Learn sessions.
During these interactive sessions, I bring in relevant insights and practical frameworks to help you address your challenges and goals. We will explore innovative leadership team practices and actionable steps that drive continuous improvement. Whether you’re looking to enhance team dynamics, drive strategic initiatives, or improve your executive team meeting, these sessions offer a valuable opportunity to learn, discuss, and grow together. And for dessert, I am happy to be a “fly on the wall” and observe your leadership team meeting, with real-time feedback that you can apply to your next leadership setting. Drop me a line or give me a call if you would like your leadership team to lunch and learn with me.
Thought for the Day