From 600+ conversations with the world’s leading thinkers.
Before I felt leadership was something you earned. Mount Everest, I think changed my opinion quite dramatically. When I came back from that expedition, I realised that all leadership really is, is empowering people to find their purpose, because the only way people are fully engaged and productive and happy is when they are working towards a higher purpose.
Our role as coaches is essentially to help players utilise 100% of their potential. That, to me, is the essence of our job.
What I like the most and essentially is never done is to start off a negotiation by talking about how you'll negotiate, what's the process going to be? And to say things like 'my goal in this negotiation is to reach an agreement with you in which we create a giant pie and split it evenly and can we agree that that's our goal?'
I see myself as someone who seeds ideas well, but others execute them far better. I learned this the hard way; if I'd continued running everything, neither business would have survived. So, my approach was simple: spend three years as a controlling megalomaniac, then completely let go.
When I sense stress, I allot three minutes to fully immerse myself in it. Many individuals attempt to escape stress, but evasion often amplifies it. It's akin to instructing someone not to think of pink elephants; the very command makes it impossible not to.
One of the most powerful business skills is the ability to listen, not just act. As entrepreneurs and business leaders, if we're going to focus on what truly matters, it starts with understanding what matters.
Unlearning silence doesn't mean speaking incessantly—the world is far too noisy for that. Instead, it means understanding the difference between choosing to be silent and having silence imposed upon you. It's recognizing whether silence is additive or oppressive, whether it's reflective and generative or merely detracting.
The wisdom I've gathered over the years taught me to seek out individuals who have a sense of reverence towards the job at hand. Rather than recruiting someone who assumes they've mastered it all, we seek those who regard their roles with awe. My experience has shown me the importance of hiring problem solvers and builders, not just those who impose pre-established templates.
In crises, people need to hear one or two simple messages to act on – not a confusing list. Through your communication, you also need to project certainty – and the fact that you have a plan (even if it's not fully formulated). Your team need to believe that they, and you, are going to get the job done.
Failure is an important tool with which one can reassess and reconstruct an idea or process, it is an essential element of the feedback loop. Failure should be used to step back and question your method and weaknesses. To recognize failure early can ultimately make one much stronger down the road.
You have to be your own hero; that doesn't mean sticking your head up your own ass- but being accountable for who you are as a person and finding strength from within.
To me it was an adventure. I'm a hardened explorer and adventurer, and I remember the whole mission as an adventure with some awesome experiences and beautiful sights.