Leadership by Margin
Notice is guaranteed
Expert marketer (and dare I say philosopher), Seth Godin, offered one of the most powerful ideas I’ve heard in years:
“The reason they want you to join them is, that once you do, then they can ignore you.”
How frequently do we want to fit in? Isn’t that the lifeblood of most all communities? So what could Seth Godin mean?
Perhaps leadership is what he’s inviting us to consider.
Leadership means:
- Being different when all others want you to be just like them
- Being outrageous when all others want to be safe
- Being loud when all others want to be quiet
- Being creative when all others choose to react
- Being responsible when all others prefer the familiarity of victimization
- Being on the margin when all others race for the middle
Communities, businesses, families and organizations require us to join them so they can thrive. But joining them doesn’t have to mean subscribing to “sheepdom”. Be willing to bring your crazy ideas, your over-the-top energy, your unrelenting pursuit of integrity, and your quest for excellence.
Leadership Practices:
- Notice where you complain and don’t act in your business, family or community
- Make a list of 20 things you’d like to change in your business or life
- Starting today, make one of those changes - then make one change per day for the next 20 days
- Practice asking “For what?” about and in all meetings and conversations - (Is the meeting and conversation truly in service to what you’re trying to create?)
- Practice embracing and having compassion for criticism, upset and funny looks - avoiding those means you’ve moved to the middle
- Make a list of your three favorite leaders and ask “What status quo are they unwilling to join?”
A bumper sticker on a neighbor’s car reads, “Women who behave will never make history.”
I love it.
Happy Attention-getting,
- Coach Preston