There is only what works

…and what doesn’t

I have rows of shelves full of leadership and personal development books that I’ve bought over the years, most professing to share with me the wisdom of how to be more successful as a person, or as a leader.  In the last decade and a half, I have spent hundreds of hours discussing with my closest and most trusted peers what the most useful approaches are to different situations.  And more recently, I’ve become really proficient at surfing the internet to find insights and solutions to issues and challenges that come up from time to time.

We all look for guidance from others, and we can now access wisdom from hundreds, if not thousands, of people who have trodden a similar pathway and faced similar challenges.

But however well thought through and insightful our understanding is, the bottom line is this - when we take action, it either takes us closer to what we want, or it takes us further away. 

The more I have written and spoken about it, the more important this notion has become.

The simple truth is this.  There is only what works, and what doesn’t.

The key to real success though, is in realising that there are always at least two goals, not one.  The first goal is the one that you want to achieve – the impact you have.  The second goal is feeling good about how you achieve it.

The first without the second is a hollow victory.

Actions either work on these two levels, or they don’t.  Simple

And what works for me (or for you), may not work for someone else.

The trick is sensing whether things are really working at both levels, or if they just satisfy one.

So for example:

• - If you are worried about your position, does the worrying make your position more secure?

• - If your team members are critical of each other’s performance, does that help your team perform better?

• - Does being lazy about your relationship with employees make them feel inclined to work harder for you?

• - Does having a diary so busy that you have no time to think, allow you to make your best use of time?

If the way you conduct yourself and make your decisions is working for you, keep doing it the same way.

If it isn’t working for you, do something different.  Anything in fact, and then ask the same question again.  Anything else is madness, is it not?

Action, adaptability, and persistence.  These qualities don’t just belong to the brave and successful.  They belong to you, if you chose them.