At BTL we like to say that “mass attracts mass.” What we mean is that people who have worked to build a strong CORE–knowing who they are, why they are here, what they believe, where they are going, and what it will take to get there–end up creating an attractive personal culture.
It seems we humans are exquisitely attuned to each other, especially to each other’s emotional states. We sense something special when we draw near to someone of “mass.” They seem strangely calm, yet exude energy. Peace and purpose are present in their twenty square feet. We can’t help it – we’re simply drawn in…
These few are amazingly open, welcoming other points of view all while tuned in like an animal being stalked. They make us feel great because they made us feel like the most important person in the room. Yet, for all their openness, they seem anchored to something substantial. They may have listened deeply, but neither patronized our viewpoint nor wavered on theirs. When they speak, their remarks are never simply chatter. You get the sense they say what they mean and mean what they say. There is nothing unintentional about them. They know why they are here.
This is not normal.
Normal is “low gravity,” sometimes “zero gravity,” as my friend Sully has coined ’em. Most people have not built a strong CORE, and therefore their gravity field is weak. “Attractiveness” might be present on the surface, but because there is no massive center to them, their personal culture fails to draw us in. We witness normal kinda behavior: distracted, bored, worried, or the business worlds favorite – busy.
Low-gravity people float. They look past you when you’re talking with them. They bounce around topics. They text like a banchee that simply cannot STOP. They interrupt your chat to take a call. If they come back, you can sense they are just waiting for you to shut up so they can tell you what’s up. They’re masters of triple d, yet strangely uninformed. You pick up a weird kinda vibe that despite the fact they aren’t listening to you, they desperately want to impress you. They really care what you think about them. They habitually over-promise and under-deliver. They seem uncomfortable in their own skin. They don’t know why they’re here, they don’t own their PA, but they sure look busy doing it – whatever “it” is…
Today, during practice 62, with a team of fourteen trying to become a team of ONE, we practiced being curious a bit longer than normal. We gave fourteen souls the opportunity to build another and, more importantly, build themselves. A few took it in and created some mass within. Kinda like some unseen gravitational pull these few are drawing us in…
Mass attracts mass. What are you attracting, my friend. Who you attracting, my friend. Does your personal culture have some kinda unseen gravitational pull, my friend. Tell me more, my friend. Tell me more…
BUILT TO LEAD 