It seems like we’re really just crushing it in America right now. So awesome. That must be why everyone wants in. Yeaahhhhhh.
Last week I was listening to one of my fave podcasts – ‘The Takeout’ with Major Garrett from CBS. He’s a news guy but his show isn’t a partisan bitch fest which to me is so refreshing. Major gets a lot of people who think they’re famous and they talk about things that famous people want to talk about these days. But it isn’t a partisan bitch fest which I really do love. It’s kind of like a mint julip on the veranda in mid-August as you smell the cool summer grass in the southern breeze.
My Fave Podcast
Last week he was interviewing this big wig military guy. Admiral William McRaven is his name. Turns out this guy has more stars that a Christmas tree. He just sounded so authoritative. So strong. So in uniform. Pretty impressive really. But there was this one part he was talking about that really struck me. So much that I’ve been thinking about it and I wanted to talk to you about it today. I’ve even put a little exercise for you at the end of this in celebration. Sort of sudoku for your soul.
By about the middle of the podcast, host and guest were digging into the topics of leadership, the military, Obama, killing Bin Laden, and of course, the Trumpster. We were rolling along nicely and then a sudden turn in the conversation – the admiral talked about being in the ‘Situation Room’ during a crisis. Not a crisis that some would call “fake”, but a “real” one where real people and to make real decisions about real life. Just like you and me. As he talked about that and the decision to go after Bin laden, he said something very profound and very sticky: “The first thing that anyone making a decision in a crisis needs to do is answer the first question: who are we?”
The context of his view was from an American leadership position. I get that. But it has such long and broad meaning for all of us as individuals. In the first-person singular, the question becomes, “Who am I”? I don’t think any of us needs to assume the position of ‘Thinking Man’ like a cement statue with head on chin in a moment of deep thought, but it is a good thing to think about from time to time. And probably best to do this between crisis instead of in the middle of one. Who are you? And what do you stand for? Have you ever stopped for a moment to think about that? Or are you just too busy with the business of living your busy life to ever think about that kind of thing. At its core this is a leadership question. Perhaps the leadership question. Leaders are never too busy to be effective.
Coming of Age
In 1977 Frampton came alive. That was also the year I took my first personality profile test. You remember those…you go into a room with #2 pencil and there staring at you is a 6-page booklet that essentially asks you over and over, “would you rather do this or that”? I took it, I think they sent it to Battle Creek Michigan (because everything went there back then), and eventually I was called into the guidance counsellor’s office to learn the decision that the AI of the day had made for the rest of my life. Answer? I should either be a garbage man or a senator. Huh.
But let’s stay on topic here with this idea of who you are, what you stand for, and your own personal Situation Room. These are core questions. They’re real questions. And they are designed for real people. To answer them honestly, we need to dig pretty deep. In these discussions I find there are two groups. Group One are those who just think all of this kind of thing is a bunch of bs. In Group Two we find those who want to join in, but can’t quite seem to get the feelings they feel past the roadblock to their mouth. I respect the members of Group One, but I’m not here to persuade. For those of you in Group Two, here’s a little trick that can really help speak your feelings: the notion of “1 to 5”. It’s a simple ranking tool. One is low, five is high. Just give yourself a score. It works.
Sudoku for Your Soul
Since I don’t have the time (and you don’t have the patience) for me to prepare you a 6-page booklet to determine your future as a my contemporary in the sanitation or public service sectors, I’ve put together a short set of words that I think play with all of this stuff. Take a look and then just jot down how you would score yourself 1-5. If you do it, you just might learn a little something about yourself. And it might just help you make the better decisions you can live with in the long run when you bump into your next personal crisis. And that’s kind of nice thing to top off a Sunday with a mimosa and eggs bennie, don’t you think?
Courage
Thoughtful
Conflict seeker
Patriot
Teacher
Friend
Money
Adventure
Just
Persuader
Good luck and have a good week.
Joe Still
2019.10.13
Cite
“Every time you have to speak, you are auditioning for leadership.”
– James Humes