No Secret Agenda

It's not easy. It takes a level of trust most of us are not prepared for. It requires a level of radical truth that exposes the scars and wrinkles of the world. It's this simple, and yet not easy: say what you mean, ask for what you want.

Why is that so hard?

We fear that others might resist our desires if they knew them. We fear we might hurt others' feelings. Or maybe, just maybe, what we truly want is not what we think we should want. Maybe it's not even in our best interest.

I reflect on that sometimes. Is what I want, what I want? What case am I building for now and for the future? How will my task list look to me ten years from now? Is my agenda a secret because it's too small?

I don't have the answer today. Today, I'm just a little tired of people who say they have all the answers, even in topics they clearly are not qualified to be experts in. But, can they -- should they -- express their views? Of course!

Say what you mean, ask for what you want, and do not get attached to the outcome.

The fun is right here, right now. The work is right here, right now. The conversation is right here, right now.

A secret agenda carries a heavy cost. Sleepless nights, stress, broken promises, surprising and unhappy disclosures. Expose's.

Why take the chance? Why take the excuse?

Say what you mean, ask for what you want, and do not get attached to the outcome.

Keep your secret agendas to yourself. And then let them go.

It's up to you.

-- Doug Smith

Comments

Your Reputation

More authority means higher levels of responsibility. More power requires more service to others, not less. What you do with your power is who you will be known as. Also, how you use the power you have creates who people will remember you as. How do you want to be remembered? -- doug smith

High Performance Leadership Combination

We can rationalize anything without making it justified. Leaders should always ask: who is this good for other than me? High performance leadership does NOT mean performance at any cost. It means performance that serves a noble cause while also benefiting people. High performance leadership is a combination. Results without relationships are shallow and temporary. Take care of both, and you'll be a high performance leader. -- doug smith

New Ideas

New ideas won't break you but they can make you bigger. -- doug smith

Decide

What do you want? Are you getting what you want? Intention is direction. Decide. And, then go. -- doug smith

What You Need

Use what you've learned to become what you need. -- doug smith

For example

Get good at something that won't obsolete itself. For example: emotional intelligence creating great conversations encouraging people leadership What would you add to the list? Which ones are you developing? -- doug smith

Personally

Improving performance does require us to take our work seriously. But it does not require us to take ourselves too seriously. Taking things personally is a waste of self-esteem. -- doug smith

Measures Matter

Some people measure quantify first and quality later. Some people measure money first and impact to the team later (not even second!). How you measure productivity might determine your character and your reputation. Put people first. -- doug smith

Start With Kindness

When you start with kindness you don't have to stay there, but you probably will. It works better for others. It works better for you. If you're human, you'll probably relapse. It does take practice to stay the course. The course starts by starting. When you start with kindness, it becomes more naturally the way. High performance leadership develops from the core leadership strengths of clarity, creativity, courage, and compassion. Build one of those strengths today thru some act of kindness and the others will get stronger as well. -- doug smith

Show Integrity

The goals we seek bring a lot of pull to them. We get wrapped in them. It's useful and it's powerful when we care about our goals so much that they propel us forward and keep us working even when we're tired, beyond the boundaries of our usual limitations. But they should not take us beyond the boundaries of our usual values. They should not trick us into bending the rules just because the rules are in the way. Truly high performance leaders of character who are focused, and centered, and noble maintain integrity. No cheating is ever worth the outcome. Integrity is so rare that many people don't even recognize. If you do, be thankful. We need leaders like you. To truly understand integrity you've got to keep it. Even when it's hard. Even the lines are blurred. -- doug smith

High Performance Leadership

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