I am still trying to regroup from my experiences at the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta this past weekend. So many speakers. So much truth. So many people. Wow!
Today I want to share some great teaching from Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, with you.
After doing extensive research for his latest book, Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck–Why Some Thrive Despite Them All, he shared what separates great leaders from good leaders, and what separates good decisions from bad decisions.
He answered the question I’m sure many of us have had at some time in our lives:
What distinguishes those characters who achieve greatness in leadership?
What do you think the answer is?
It’s not personality..
It’s not charisma…
It’s humility…

Humility is the essence of leadership.

I couldn’t agree more. I’m learning that leading is about letting our mistakes be known to others around us. Not only so that we can grow from them, but so others can as well.

Collins says, “The only mistakes you learn from are the ones you survive.”
However, humbling ourselves isn’t the only thing we must do to achieve greatness. Greatness requires:

• Fanatical Discipline – The greater the chaos, the more discipline required.
• Empirical Creativity – The world needs us to creatively solve major problems.
• Productive Paranoia – Instead of having fear, we have ask, “What if?” We have to be prepared for the things we can’t predict.

He asked this question as he closed the session:
How do we make ourselves useful in uncertain times?
How are you making yourself useful? Comment below…