Bonjour!
Erin and I just got back home last night after speaking together about leadership at a conference in Paris. It was special and such an honor! I don’t want to take those moments for granted.
There was some risk for me in the midst.
A key part of the talk was something I’d never presented in front of anyone before. On top of that, there were 11 countries and 8 different native languages represented in the room. 😳🙃 Speaking slowly and simply was going to be very important.
But it felt like the right message that the specific audience needed to hear so I went for it.
Ultimately, I posed a question to them that I believe is foundational for both individuals and organizations to answer when they are pursuing winning where it really matters.
That means I believe the question is also important for you.
So, here it is: What’s your destination?
What I meant by that was, where are you headed? Do you know? Is it clear? Or does it feel a bit murky?
It may or may not feel like a question that is easily answered for you, but having a clear and simple answer to that question is the critical starting point to getting Worthy Wins.
WHICH PLANE IS BEST?
After I asked the question, I showed the audience this picture I snapped on the runway at the ATL airport. As you can see, there are Delta planes as far as the eye can see.
Every one of those planes is headed somewhere. They all look the same from the outside, but they are not all headed to the same place.
Which begs a second question: Which plane is best?
While you could make an argument for age of the plane or layout or amenities, the reality is that the best answer to the question is, “It depends.”
Why? Because every plane has a different destination they are trying to reach.
The plane that is best is the one that takes us to the destination we are trying to reach.
Which is just like our lives and our organizations. The destination is what we want to succeed at and the plane is the way we strategically approach getting to that outcome.
The order is critical: Destination first. Plane second.
You don’t go to the airport and get on a random plane. You first decide where you want to go and then you get on the plane.
Every single person and organization are headed somewhere.We can go almost anywhere, but we aren’t all meant to end up going to the same destination.
There’s different passions and giftings and callings that we each have the opportunity to chase. We all have the chance to decide what destination to head towards.
But we have to make a decision about the destination before we decide which plane to get on. If we just let it happen by chance, we may end up at the wrong place.
What I’ve found is that the best leaders simply and clearly define the destination that is most important - for themselves and their organizations. Then they start working towards the best plane to get them there.
And that is the starting point of getting Worthy Wins.
Today is a perfect day to take two minutes for a bit of reflection - whether for yourself or your organization - to make sure you’re clear on the destination.
- Is your destination clear and simple?
- Have you communicated the destination to the most important people in your life/organization?
- Are you on a trajectory for that destination right now?
- What is one thing you could do now that would improve your trajectory?
Rooting for you!
Much love,
JO
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