Neo…

Practice 28 was Superior, at least to me. We watched a movie clip and I talked the team through another one. This team struggles with accountability. They know this. We talk about it. They are learning to hold each other more accountable and it’s not been easy.

Today, I challenged them to be more like Neo from the movie The Matrix. Neo (which literally translates to new man), transforms throughout the movie into one. The hinge moment is amazing. He’s lived his entire life running from Agents and been told there is no other way. Agents kill humans. So, when Trinity makes it out of the subway station and Neo’s left behind with an Agent, the rest of the humans scream for him to run! He’s a new man, however, and instead of running he looks the Agent in the eyes and jesters for him to “hit me.” He stands and fights. Transforming MOT.

I asked the team to stop holding other departments accountable and start asking those same teams to “hit me.” The most accountable teammates are the ones focused on becoming more accountable themselves. Normal teammates focus their attention on holding you and me more accountable. Does. Not. Work. Want a more accountable group? Ask someone on another team to hit you with some truth you can use. Feedback is a great idea until somebody just hauls off and lays you out uninvited.

Stop being a normal woman. Be Neo. Ask those around you to hit you with hard truth you can use. Fight to improve performance, not prove a point. Strong CORE. Invite feedback. Take it in. Process it non-anxiously (cause you know who you are, right). Decide what to do with it. You just built a more accountable team. Do you see this?

If you want to be another normal team, skip this step. It hurts before it helps and heals. If, however, your aim is to become a superior group, not just another normal one, build more dangerously. Ask for it. Hold yourself more accountable. Funny, the more I hold myself to a higher standard, the less problem I have kicking your ASS when the moment is right. Hard to argue with the Neo who you know is harder on themselves then they are on you. Thanks, Neo, for asking for it. What about you, friend. When was the last time you asked someone to “hit me?” What are you afraid of, the truth? Remember, “Someday you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32

I mean c’mon man, you can’t take the ring and stay in the Shire. Truth.

Live hard. Love harder. Hit me…