Huxley on Climbing the Ladder

 

“The rung of a ladder was never meant to rest upon, but only to hold a man’s foot long enough to enable him to put the other somewhat higher.”

– Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–1895)

English biologist and educator

Are you holding yourself accountable as a leader (with a title or not)?

As leaders, we enjoy the responsibility of helping people develop in a way that encourages them to hold themselves accountable for their attitudes, their work, and their results.

We need to be as disciplined, resourceful, and resilient in our efforts as we ask our people to be in theirs.

Relentless leadership is embracing the fact that the need for solid & ongoing reinforcement never ends and uncomfortable conversations are a necessity. This is how we create something special.

Managers: How much development attention are you giving to your team? (20% of your week would be a full day of nothing but development time… 40% would be two full days, beginning to end)

Professionals: Don’t have a coaching manager? Consider finding a development partner.

Freud on The Struggles

 

“One day in retrospect the years
of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful.”

– Sigmund Freud (1856–1939)

Austrian psychiatrist

Remember… We are The Economy. (That includes you.)

Recovery depends on the work we do today… regardless of difficulty, regardless of political belief, regardless of what the media says. It’s our work (your work) that will get us there.

The US Navy SEALS have a creed they live by in their work. A few of our favorite lines are…

  • The lives of my teammates and the success of the mission depend on me… (individual accountability)
  • If knocked down, I will get back up, every time.
  • In the worst of conditions, the legacy of my teammates steadies my resolve and silently guides my every deed. (purpose)
  • By wearing the Trident I accept the responsibility of my chosen profession and way of life. It is a privilege that I must earn every day.

What if we all had a Trident for our work – something that says we truly accept the responsibility for our chosen profession – and we did it?

Seneca on Procrastination

 

“Lay hold of today’s task and
you will not depend so much
upon tomorrow’s.”

–Lucius Annaeus Seneca (4B.C.–65A.D.)

Roman philosopher and statesman

Today is 20% of your salesweek.

Two salesdays are 10% of your month. (A salesmonth is made up of roughly 21 days.)

To lose only two salesdays each month to fatigue or a desire to wait for a better day to make the call would be to lose more than a full month of salesdays each year.

Imagine if your income reflected your slow days… and know that in the long run, it probably does.

36 salesdays remain in the quarter. Tic toc.