Play to Win and Other Timeless Leadership Lessons
Stacey Kennedy
President Americas & CEO of PMI's U.S. Business at Philip Morris International
Starting the new year?can feel?like hitting the reset button—a chance to dive into our resolutions and goals with a fresh mindset.?Although symbolic, this sense of starting anew is invigorating. At the same time, I find it very helpful to?ground?my?thinking?on?these?timeless values?that?I believe are?essential to?ensure?our?organization?remains focused and best placed to?drive?progress.
Play to win:?One?important?guiding principle is to ensure we’re playing to win versus playing not to lose. There is a big difference?between the two. Playing not to lose is a more conservative strategy in which we hold cards close to the vest, focus on avoiding mistakes, and are comfortable maintaining the status quo. Playing to win means?being vulnerable and courageous in our pursuit of winning. It means putting everything on the line, taking risks, being innovative and making bold moves. This mindset?is essential for?a company?like PMI that is at the forefront of?an?industry-wide?disruption. ?
Perfection is the enemy of progress:?For those of us who are in the pursuit of perfection, or have perfectionistic tendencies, it's important to keep this in mind. When we become too focused on achieving perfection, our fear of making errors can create inertia, ultimately hindering progress. Instead, by embracing imperfection or?GEMO?“good enough, move on” we allow ourselves to move forward and stay open to new opportunities for growth. Movement requires a willingness to take imperfect action, learn from the process, and perfect along the way.?
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Balancing?big ambitions with humility:?Bold ambitions and a growth mindset are?key,?as long as?we?have?the?clear-sightedness to acknowledge that not all ideas will work—even if they look great on paper.?Especially in an organization?with a powerful purpose,?which seeks ways to grow exponentially, it is?tempting?to?become enamored with?every?idea that could translate into?a?big win and feel compelled to pursue?them all. I know I have. But we need to understand not every idea materializes and, more importantly, acknowledge that none of us has all the answers. Yes, be ambitious, but add in a healthy dose of humility. The blending of the two—“humbition”—is all about having big, bold goals and recognizing that it takes ideas,?skills,?and expertise from many different individuals to achieve the desired outcome.?
I’m interested to hear the principles you’re thinking about as we head into 2024.?
HR Manager at LinkedVA
11 个月"Playing to win" really struck a chord with me. It's a powerful reminder that being bold and taking risks is crucial for real progress.?
Passionate Revenue Results Focused Leader | Co-Author of "Results Revolution" | Gen AI Sales Leader & Expert | Digital Acumen Coach | Public Speaker | Engineering a Difference by Changing People's Lives, One at a Time!
11 个月Stacey Kennedy It's inspiring to read about your approach to the new year, especially your emphasis on 'playing to win' and the concept of 'humbition'. I played ball and coached for 30 years. That phrase has deep meaning to me! I love your comments on being innovative, while also recognizing the importance of humility in leadership, it's a powerful way to drive progress in any organization. Empathy and Humility are much needed and desired in leadership today! I'm had to share I am also intrigued by the principle of 'Perfection is the enemy of progress'. BIg reminder to me and everyone, that the pursuit of perfection often overshadows the importance of growth and learning from our imperfections. I know that we as humans are all far from perfect. We are all here in our own journey to do the best we can and hopefully LEARN! I love this post! Thanks for the great read! #GrowthMindset #LeadershipPrinciples #InnovativeThinking
Experienced Communication, PR and Social Media Professional (#LinkedIn #KI)
11 个月??
Partner, Global Mobility Services at KPMG Switzerland
11 个月I like “Hum-bition” Stacey. I try to encourage my teams to look for “mini-vations”, being small, incremental improvements in day to day processes, so we’re both constantly seeking to get better, but also encouraging a mindset that doesn’t just accept the status quo because the person before us did it that way.
Really enjoyed your insights on starting fresh in 2024! Embracing risks and acknowledging that perfection isn't always progress resonates with us. Looking forward to a year of bold steps and learning from each experience.