We Are Better Together
Imprinting Your Leader Maps
The Journey of Becoming a Leader is Timeless, Immutable, and Unique for Each of Us
Just as the individuals in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales take a unique journey of discovery with predictable, surprising, and unknown outcomes, so is our journey to becoming a leader in our own right.
While we are all going to this place called Leader Development, how we make the journey and what we make of our journey is up to us. Obviously, the key ingredient to any journey or tale is movement from one place to the next. That movement is in traveling from the starting place to the destination, but it is also in each person's inner movement (changes). If the journey is only the distance covered and no change or effect happens to the travelers, it's a trip and a dull one at that.
What we are interested in, and why we read or watch stories, is because of what is going on with the characters involved. If it is just a series of pictures of this and then that, that is fine, but we quickly lose interest. However, if each person has ups and downs, we have a tale to tell. We want to hear and know more.
Why?
Because as the characters go through their challenges, we feel something. Our inner journey connects with theirs to some degree. The ones we like we cheer them on. The villains we eagerly await their come to justice moment. The "splat moment." Often, the worse the villain and the bigger the villain's splat moment, the more vindicated our joy. While the scenery of the story can be breathtaking, it's the struggle of the heroes and heroines that breathlessly mesmerizes us.
The mechanics of what we do in the training is the scenery of this journey. The engagement that each of you has as you wrestle with the material, work through it, and then implement it are the real points of action and interest. If you keep showing us the same slides, we lose interest. And rightfully so. Eventually, the same repeated step-ball-chain dance becomes wearing. We yearn to see action, challenges, changes, victories, and forward momentum that's going to someplace better and exciting. If you give up mid-course, there is no victory. We all feel let down. There is no win or thrill in I tried and grew tired, bored, or got distracted and moved on to something new.
The invitation has always been twofold: 1) see the greatness in yourself as a person and a leader, and 2) we are here to help you in your leader growth, which prepares you for legitimate occupation of leadership positions. Those two invitations stand.
Remember what great teams stand for. Each other. We won't give up on you; don't you give up on yourself.
Complete the Exercise of Imprinting Your Leader Maps
- Put each of your Leader Maps on a 3x5 card using the It's My Job Model.
- Carry these cards with you wherever you go. This is the lesson on the guitar.
- Print out your leader maps. Carry them with you wherever you go. This is the lesson of the Chord Book.
- Whenever you get a spare moment, review your 3x5 cards of your It My Job Leader Maps. This is word memorization.
- Also, when you get a spare moment, review the actual maps. This is image memorization.
Could You Use Some Assistance?
Like many new things, they can be challenging until you learn how they work. This is the case with Leader Maps. If you're stuck or lost, get the assistance you require. Sooner is always better than later.