I really like this quote from Mary Anne Radmacher.
I write this in a week when all of my best laid plans and commitments have been washed away by the flooding rains and power outages in California.
This, the week before my new book MOVE is released…when there were many important things to do.
One of the themes in MOVE is that leaders need to have Valor. And sometimes Valor is the patience and willingness to cope — to simply show up and try again tomorrow.
My first book RISE was about individual effectiveness and success. It focused on building career success in an authentic way, that respects others and the fact that you have life outside work that matters.
MOVE is the next step. It’s about organizational effectiveness and success.
People have asked me, “Were you able to keep the authentic theme in MOVE too?”
Absolutely! That’s the point.
Here’s what I mean.
A primary theme in MOVE is about “The Middle,” meaning that while the kick-off of a new strategy is exciting and well supported, and the end goals are very motivating, it’s the Middle that’s the hard (and not most exciting) part. Strategies tend to fall apart and lose momentum in the Middle.
As a leader it’s important to keep showing up every day because:
The Middle is where literally everything needs to happen!
And the Middle is fraught with surprises, changes, challenges, short term pressures, apathy, skepticism, boredom, and sometimes even personal attacks.
The strongest leaders are often the ones who are willing show up again tomorrow — to try again, and to keep going, and to continue to engage their team in an authentic way — throughout the whole Middle.
Leadership takes courage, patience, and often stubborn persistence.
A mentor of mine taught me a very important lesson. He said to me, “Patty, never underestimate the value of simply coping”.
Courage does not always roar.
Don’t underestimate the value of coping — coping, and being willing to show up again tomorrow.
In MOVE I give lots of practical strategies for coping, having Valor and preserving your energy and sanity as a leader throughout the entire Middle.
Because if you keep showing up, you can really do great things together with your team.
Every manager should read MOVE. And I’m not saying that just to sell books. I’d really like to help.
MOVE is a practical handbook for dealing with the reality of how hard business execution is, and for mastering the things that can make the difference between success and stalling out. I’d like to help every leader gain the business and personal success they desire.
Keep going!
Join the conversation about this on my Facebook page Patty Azzarello Practical Business Advice for Humans.
Patty Azzarello is an executive, best-selling author, speaker and CEO/Business Advisor. She became the youngest general manager at HP at the age of 33, ran a billion dollar software business at 35 and became a CEO for the first time at 38 (all without turning into a self-centered, miserable jerk)
You can find Patty at www.AzzarelloGroup.com, follow her on twitter or facebook
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