I’m down in Houston, in the former Republic of Texas, for the week with some of the best clients anyone could hope for. Every one of them is blazing a courageous trail on their individual hero’s journeys towards personal excellence, team chemistry, and sustained exceptional results.
Down here in The Lone Star State, folks take pride in the history and traditions of their heroes–Sam Houston, William Travis, Susannah Dickenson, even a guy named “Old Rip Ford” whose grandmother danced with General George Washington.
As Texans like to say, “If it’s true, it ain’t braggin.”
Texans are used to “talkin’ big.” It’s a big place, with a big history. And they know how to back up big talk with big action.
Maybe because they are used to talkin’ big, they can spot phoneys a country mile away. They have an expression for that, too:
“All hat; no cattle.”
(New York translation: “Empty Suit”).
On the flight down here, I was deeply moved by a book I couldn’t put down entitled “A Severe Mercy” by Sheldon Vanauken. (Thank you, Mike)! It’s a shattering, true story of the love shared between Vanauken and his wife Jean, and its subsequent destruction. I recommend the book heartily, but bring along a box of Kleenex when you read it…
Vanauken was at Oxford for three years in the 1950’s. There he met some of the brightest minds of the 20th Century, including C.S Lewis, with whom he shared an abiding friendship and correspondence. Vanauken also met intellectual and social posers–people who lacked original or even personal thinking, but who parroted the vogues and fashions of the post-war intelligentsia.
Vanauken’s wry observation: “such people are proof that there can be smoke without fire.”
Isn’t this the essential problem of our corporate and community life here in the early 21st century? How many individuals, teams, and leaders are drifting, wafting through these years, blowing smoke yet lacking any fire within?
How many are parroting some second-rate version of someone else’s ideas of the beliefs they hold, stuff they own, products they provide, and people they should be?
Why does it seem easier to manufacture smoke than to build a real, roaring fire?
Where’s the fire?
With most people, there is no fire. Worse, there’s just smoke, and that seems like enough for them.
For a few, though, such as my clients here in Texas, the fire burns brightly within their hearts, stoked to a roar by the pure oxygen and dry fuel of a passion-inspired purpose for their lives, shining light and bringing warmth to their families, friends, and colleagues through a process of productive actions we call the hero’s journey.
Funny how the hottest, brightest fires create very little smoke…
Are you “burning bright” these days? Can your team feel the heat of your fire, and see the light of your vision?
Is your team glowing with passion? Is the “fire in their bellies” propelling them to new heights? Are your customers and competitors noticing the light on your horizon? Or is it just smog, and haze, and smoke?
Here’s “big talkin'” from me–if you want to light a fire underneath that team, you go first. Stoke your own fire. Light them up from the flames of your own heart.
If all you’ve got is a couple of sticks and some soggy kindling, I’ll help. The first month of fire-building is on me. If you and I can’t get your embers glowing, we stop. No harm. No foul. No risk.
You bring the fuel, and I’ll bring plenty of matches.
I’m not blowing smoke.
You’re not either, right?
BUILT TO LEAD 