Grit is Good!
Anne Chow (She/Her)
Transformative Executive & Servant Leader | Board & Advisory Member | Inclusion, Culture & Connection Champion | Professor ?? | Keynote Speaker ?? | National Best-Selling Author of LEAD BIGGER ??
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Angela Duckworth, researcher, author and CEO of Character Lab at our 2020 AT&T Business Leadership Summit. This event provided a chance – in person and virtually – to spend quality time with my leadership team to celebrate our successes from the past year as well as discuss our path forward in 2020 as a business.
Much of our Summit focused on building a culture of greatness – as I feel this is the foundation of success in business and also in life. Culture, in my opinion, trumps everything else. It’s more important than strategy. It’s more important than planning. It’s more important than a strong business case. Why? Because culture is about people. And it is people who execute a strategy, a plan, and who will deliver that business case. A culture of greatness is about building an environment where every employee feels they are supported and can reach their greatest potential, both as an individual and as part of a team.
So how does one do that? Well it takes GRIT!
Angela shared that grit is not easy, it’s not something you’re born with. And while talent plays a role in one’s innate abilities, it’s really the combination of passion and perseverance that produces achievement.
This resonates with me in so many ways. I absolutely believe that in order to be great at something, one must have some passion for it. And while you may not be expert at that “thing”, your passion is necessary to fuel the deliberate practice needed to excel.
And, as for setbacks, I tend to view them more as moments in time vs. actual permanent barriers. You must learn from them and push through them. There is always a path forward!
It’s the combination of these two things that can really change a culture – shaping it to make it great…and gritty!!
Perhaps my favorite message shared by Angela is that grit is not DIY. We all need support and encouragement from mentors, coaches, colleagues, family, friends, and more to keep going!
The people in our lives play an impactful role in our success and the development of our grit. This reinforces one of my primary mantras - life is all about people, and business is about relationships.
Thank you again to Angela for joining us! Your insightful words were powerful and motivating. I know they will have an impact on my team’s success in 2020 and beyond!
And to my AT&T Business team… TOGETHER #WeMeanBusiness!
P.S. How gritty are you? Take this quick survey here to find out.
Freelancer
5 年Hello Mrs. Chow I've worked camera for several AT&T events .. Your my favorite speaker.
Investor| Author??|Proverbs 16:3 ??|Faith over fear ???? Empowering Women Financially via Real Estate
5 年Excellent read! I read last year after our Women of AT&T ERG team recommended it! ?? Thats wonderful you got to meet her in person! #GetGritty #GrowWithGrit
Client Director at AT&T, MBA
5 年The best business book I read last year - a little jealous Anne
Professional Business Coach & Category Whisper. I help Underdogs & Misfits Build Category-Defining Brands That Slap!
5 年Great book Mrs. Anne Chow. It's on my night shelf. One of my goals is to help inner-city youth find grit through boxing. I'm a Marine Veteran and Naval Academy graduate who runs a free boxing program for inner-city youth & young adults in Newark, NJ. It would be really impactful to have you share with our kids, especially our young women, and how boxing has helped you in life and business. Boxing cultivated my grit, now I'm on a mission to share it with others. If you'd be open to chatting sometime about the sport, I'd love to speak with you.? www.ironboundboxing.org
I’ve heard her speak and it is an absolute privilege! So glad you could enjoy! Her character lab studies are also intriguing!