Yesterday I demanded that a client identify the “elephant in the room.” They did so with crystal clarity. We then identified some productive action that would begin to eat away at said elephant. REAL. HARD. WORK.
Yesterday I challenged another client to find more “organ players.” He is good at this, has done this, and needs to use his creativity to find more. They are all around him, he’s just got to do a little more digging. REAL. HARD. WORK.
Yesterday I pushed one of my strongest clients to build his courage. We went back into the Courage Essential and connected him with Leonidas and the power of modeling the way. He is building high performers all around him and nothing is more distressing. REAL. HARD. WORK.
Yesterday I made another client mad. He doesn’t much like me at the moment. I did not listen to his complaints. I did not go where he wanted. I forced him to work on finishing his OPUS and stop the gossip. He doesn’t yet understand how powerful this clarity of vision, purpose, strategy, and scorecard will be. We will have plenty of time, when we put first things first. REAL. HARD. WORK.
My job is to build. My purpose is to “Awaken, Challenge, and Transform individuals, teams, and leaders into ONE. ONE, distinct and deeply connected, that is BTL.” My job, I guess, is to live out this Ralph Waldo Emerson quote for those I serve.
“Our chief want in life is somebody who shall make us do what we can.”
Yea, BABY…
BUILT TO LEAD 
Perhaps Emerson understood something we don’t without even knowing it.
In his day, the word “want” meant “deficit” or “lack”. . . i.e. translated this way the quote would read “Our chief DEFICIT in life is somebody who shall make us do what we can.”
The magic Michael Jordan understood that Toto just wrote about is that he DESIRED (i.e. our modern day translation of “want”) builders who were truth-tellers around him who would give him the 360 FEEDBACK he needed to help him get better.
Emerson’s quote summarizes the essence of the BTL tagline.,.. “Together we Improve”. The question we all face every day is do we want (DESIRE) what we want (LACK)? Will I let someone help build me stronger today, or am I just going to “settle.”?
So where’s Waldo in your time of “want”? As close to you as you habitually CHOOSE to let them.
Awesome post, Toto.
That may be the finest “and” I’ve ever seen. Thanks Gurue…