Do you have zest for life and (want) to get the most out of it? It rarely involves doing more than others are willing to do; involves a focus similar to that of a laser.
Great leaders understand the importance of ‘What’s important now?’
Leaders come in all shapes and sizes! Tess, an 8-year-old girl, overheard her parents talking one night about the need for a miracle to save her little brother, Andrew. He was very sick and needed an operation to save his life.
They sold their house so they could pay the doctor’s bills. The surgery that would save his brother’s life was expensive; and the family had no funds. She heard his dad say to his mom, “Only a miracle will save him now!”
Tess had an idea! She went to her bedroom and opened her piggy bank. After counting the money several times, she put it back in her piggy bank and quietly walked out the back door of the house. She had $1.11. She walked the 6 blocks to the local Pharmacy and patiently waited for the Pharmacist to stop talking to another man so she could help her.
After waiting a long time, she turned her feet around to make a scraping noise, cleared her throat, and the pharmacist ignored her. Finally, he took a quarter from her jar and banged it against the glass counter. That got her attention.
The pharmacist asked in an annoyed voice, “So what do you want? I’m talking to my brother in Chicago, whom I haven’t seen in a long time.”
Tess replied, “I want to talk about my brother. He is very, very sick and I want to buy a Miracle.”
“His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing on his head! My dad says, ‘Only a miracle can save him now! How much does a miracle cost?’
The pharmacist replied in a kinder voice: “We don’t sell Milagros here, girl, I’m sorry I can’t help you!”
Tess, “Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it’s not enough, I’ll get the rest. Just tell me how much a miracle costs!”
The Pharmacist’s brother leaned over and asked, “What kind of miracle does your brother need?”
“I don’t know.” she replied as her eyes filled with tears. “He’s very sick and dad says he needs an operation. My dad can’t afford it so I want to use my money.”
The Pharmacist’s brother asks: “How much do you have?”
“$1.11. That’s all the money I have, but I can get some more if I have to!”
“Well, what a coincidence!” The Pharmacist’s brother smiled in response. “$1.11, the exact price of a miracle for little brother. Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let’s see if I have the kind of miracle he needs!” (“The pharmacist’s brother was a surgeon from Chicago who specialized in neurosurgery.”)
“The operation was completed free of charge.”
It wasn’t long before Andrew was fine and home again.
Tessa’s mom said, “That surgery was a real miracle! I wonder how much it would have cost.”
Tess smiled to herself. She knew exactly how much the miracle cost, $1.11.
Leaders are willing to ask big questions to solve big problems. Even the youngest leaders know when to ask questions!
So they listen.
In 2008, Domino’s Pizza had the courage to face its problem. “Her pizza was terrible.”
Ryan Berman, creative director of the Idea brand, quotes Russell Weiner, president of Domino’s USA, as saying, “We didn’t rank highly in product scores. But believe it or not, people thought our product tasted better when it it was in someone else’s box. All every American wanted was for someone to stand up and tell them the truth, listen to their problem and do the right thing.”
They realized that “it wasn’t just the taste of their pizza that was the problem, but also the brand.”
They appropriated their terrible product, admitted its flaws, and asked the public to give them another chance. Their bold “Oh yeah, we did it” campaign captivated audiences because it showed them that they really listened to their customers and would fix any problem.”
The company has enjoyed one of the best stock returns of any company in its category, skyrocketing from $9 to over $387.46 (12/14/2020).
What is your one question that will get you out of your rut?
What does leadership ability mean and how can it help you?
Jeff Boss said in an article for Forbes that there are “three leadership skills to focus on: courage, clarity, and curiosity. Leadership is about the ability to be the kind of person who is able and willing to learn, be courageous, confront difficulties and questioning the status quo. Who you are refers to your character: humility, integrity, openness to new ideas, service to others.”
Without clarity “there is no courage.” By being clear “about what’s important to you… there’s no hesitating, no second-guessing, no wondering if you’re making the right decision, no ambiguity about what’s expected of you.” With clarity, you can “do your job because you’re clear about what success looks like.” Clearly, you, your team members, and your company create “realization and alignment.” When you have “clarity” in your values, your work and in life you are balanced. He says, “When you’re clean, you’re bulletproof.”
Mr. Boss’s final point: “However, you only gain clarity through curiosity. Good leaders know when to speak up and give directions, but they also know when to listen, learn, and lead with curiosity. When you lead with curiosity you don’t just forge better clarity, but you also gain insight into how others are thinking, which informs your next move (or question) as a leader.” Asking simple questions like “What do you think?”, “How could we…?”, “What do you think is the best way to achieve…?” they are powerful tools that you can use at any time. learn and lead simultaneously.” (Fortune.com/Jeff Boss: Building Your Leadership Skills, September 8, 2017)
Here are 3 ways you can focus on what’s important now.
1) Clear your mind by writing questions and problems on a piece of paper so they stop renting space in your head. Be bold in asking bold questions and listen to the answers to shape your clarity.
2) Be open-minded about the solution and the messenger of the solution. Be curious and have a teachable spirit.
3) Take action.
Remember what Albert Einstein said: “The important thing is to never stop questioning. I have no special talent. I’m just passionately curious.”