Week 24.11 Every Now and Then

Every so often, I hear leaders express their exasperation with the burden of quarterly reports and their longing for the freedom of long-term planning. I can certainly relate to this sentiment – there's an undeniable allure in envisioning the future unfettered by the demands of the present moment. In the corporate world, the relentless focus on short-term performance can compel leadership to make decisions that prioritize immediate results over long-term growth strategies, especially when these strategies require temporary sacrifices. Yet, this very tension lies at the heart of leadership – the delicate art of charting a course for the future while simultaneously navigating the currents of the here and now.

Navigating this balance between the present and the future is not unique to the boardroom; it is an inescapable aspect of life itself. While I may not be beholden to the rigors of five-year plans or the scrutiny of quarterly reports, I am nonetheless faced with the constant need to align my day-to-day actions with my larger aspirations. When I become too consumed by the minutiae of the present, I can certainly accomplish a great deal, but I risk losing sight of the broader horizon. Conversely, if I spend too much time gazing wistfully towards distant dreams, I cease to make meaningful progress, losing inertia. It's a delicate dance, akin to the rhythm of swimming laps – powering through with focused strokes, only to periodically lift my gaze above the surface to ensure I'm still swimming toward my intended destination.

Like the CEO of a publicly traded company, we must all find our unique equilibrium between the immediacy of the present and the aspirations of the future. During our recent visit to Nashville, we witnessed remarkable performers at the Grand Ole Opry who wake up each day clinging to the dream of the song that will propel them to stardom. Yet, alongside this lofty ambition, they steadfastly do the work required to sustain their careers, day in and day out. Doing the work of the present while keeping an eye fixed on the future is necessary if one's ambition is to achieve greatness. Finding the right balance of strength and humility, of ambition and realism, is one of life's and leadership's greatest challenges.

Inevitably, we must forge our own unique path, carefully calibrating our lofty aspirations with the practical realities of the present moment. It is a delicate dance that demands patience, perseverance, and a keen awareness of our priorities and values. Let's face it – the journey to the future is paved with the actions of the present. In the skill of orienteering, we must know both where we want to go and accurately identify where we are now. We cannot reach the "then" without first addressing the "now." You can't get there without starting from here. You never arrive at "then" without navigating the trials and tribulations of "now." In this ever-shifting landscape of life and leadership, harmonizing tomorrow's aspirations with today's demands emerges as a paramount skill.

To truly thrive in this dance between the present and the future, we need to cultivate a deep sense of mindfulness and intentionality. It is not enough to simply react to the demands of each day as they arise; we must approach our actions with a clear understanding of how they align with our larger vision and goals. Conversely, our dreams and aspirations cannot exist in a vacuum, divorced from the realities of our current circumstances. They must be grounded in a clear-eyed assessment of our resources, capabilities, and challenges. Ultimately, the path to success lies in striking a delicate balance, a harmony between the urgency of the present and the promise of the future. Life and leadership is a constant calibration, a never-ending process of adjustment and course correction. But for those who can master this art, the rewards are immense – a life and a legacy that resonates with purpose, authenticity, and a deep sense of fulfillment for ourselves and for those we love and lead.

With love, gratitude and wonder.

Scott

How To Get Employees To Never Talk To You Again About Their Problems by Adrian Gostick

In today’s best work cultures, open dialogue between employees and their managers isn’t merely advantageous—it’s indispensable. Transparent two-way communication is essential for trust and enables teams to continue to collaborate during times of uncertainty and change. When employees feel empowered to share not only their ideas and successes but also their challenges with their managers, it helps create a culture of empathy and support. Yet too many leaders quash this kind of sharing.

Fear of conflict or prioritizing efficiency over empathy impedes the building of great teams. To create successful work cultures, leaders need to embrace open dialogue where employees are able to share their challenges without the fear that managers will try to solve things, blame them, or take away their opportunities to learn and grow.

The secret to bending time by Sanyin Siang

When we love what we’re doing, an hour can feel like a minute. In our productivity-driven culture, we may think the solution to bending time is to become more efficient, to leverage technology better and simply find ways to do more. Yet I believe the way to stretch time is, in fact, to engage in that which scales the impact of that minute – whether the impact is felt in terms of increased energy, quicker problem solving, or deeper fulfillment for our future selves. The true secret to bending time is to invest in cultivating relationships. Here are three ways it can work.

We live in times of all-pervasive polarization. Our short attention spans and quick default to biases can lead to misinterpretation of intent. But relationships create the space to diffuse the heat; they expand time, allowing us to take a step back, reevaluate our assumptions, and return to a more constructive conversation.

In the drive for greater efficiency, time spent on cultivating relationships is often the first casualty. Spending time fostering connection and trust may seem contrary to being productive. Yet it is precisely how we can flourish and produce meaningful impact.

Create a Peer-to-Peer Coaching Team to Help Your Overstretched Leaders by Keith Ferrazzi

In today's volatile and fast-paced world, leaders increasingly find themselves stretched thin, working in flattened organizational structures, and with limited time to dedicate to coaching and developing their teams. Leaders may not even have adequate visibility into the day-to-day work of individuals or their teams. Who does have that visibility? The team members who are working together. It's the people working alongside us every day who see our efforts, challenges, and successes. They're in a prime position to offer relevant, timely feedback - and we need to leverage this abundant yet virtually untapped resource and insight. We need to shift to peer-to-peer feedback and development.

By embracing a culture of co-development, where feedback is a tool for collective elevation and business breakthroughs, organizations can foster a more collaborative, empowered, and successful work environment. Feedback becomes a means of connection, growth, and elevating each other to be our best selves in work and life. This is the essence of co-development, enabling teams to achieve extraordinary things together.