Calling all Sherpas

Sitting with friends one evening in their living room, we pondered an interesting question.? “How would our relationships, communities, and world be different if we adopted a ‘you before me’ attitude?”??

Silence.??

Was it that hard to imagine?? Really???

More silence.

Certainly there were examples all over the place - like at work, for instance.?

Someone finally broke the awkward silence… and was brutally honest.? He said, “I don’t know.? I just see the opposite.”? Was he sure?? As it turns out, he was sure.

This discussion reminded me of what Jeremie Kubicek, author of The 100X Leader and many other books, said recently at a local leadership luncheon.? “We need more Sherpas.? To improve our culture at work, we need more Sherpas.”? Thankfully, he explained what he meant.

As it turns out, he had done research on Sherpas and spoken to them (via a web meeting) while they were at base camp.? He asked them, “How many times have you made it to the summit?”?

They chuckled and responded, “That is a very ‘Western’ question.”? Seeing a puzzled look, they continued, “I have helped 8 people summit.”? One by one they each chimed in similarly.

Isn’t that powerful???

What if we viewed success by how much we helped others achieve instead of our own achievements???

You know, Sherpas reach the summit, too.? They get the view, the thrill, plus are able to see the awe on the faces of those they helped who have never beheld such a sight.? Sounds pretty rewarding, doesn’t it?

So, back to the question.

"How would our relationships, communities, and world be different if we adopted a ‘you before me’ attitude?”??

Unstoppable, fortified, inspiring, rewarding, legacy-building, and ?????Comment and let me know!

Now, let’s go unleash our inner Sherpas!

(For the record, I have been incredibly blessed to be surrounded by Sherpas throughout my career - my team, supervisors, and coworkers alike! Thank you to many Sherpas in my life!)