They Can’t Afford You

Time to level up.

You are a talented, experienced professional. You know what you’re doing and are bright enough to know when you need help and aren’t afraid to go after it and deliver for your organization.

Candidly, if you weren’t there your organization would suffer.

Let’s level up another step.

Think about the community where you live. There are many not-for-profit organizations that do incredible things right in your backyard. Somehow they make a difference despite the massive challenges they face each day, not the least of which is being able to hire the best talent.

This is where you come into the picture.

Can those organizations afford to hire you? No, they cannot.

Would those organizations benefit massively from your expertise? Yes, they absolutely would.

Final step.

My ask today is that you identify a not-for-profit organization in your community that aligns with your personal values.

• Contact them
• Get to know what they do
• Volunteer your time
• Join their Board of Directors
• Make a difference beyond the four walls of your employer (which also builds your employer brand as a community-minded organization)

Are you willing to take that step? Or, is it easier to say that you’re “just so busy that you don’t have any extra time?”

One last thing…I do practice what I preach. I am privileged to serve on the Board of Directors of the Children’s Cancer Center here in Tampa, Florida. Click the link to learn about the incredible impact the Center has on the lives of children and families navigating pediatric cancer and chronic blood disorders.

Thanks for being here.

Jay

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15 Years of Excuses

This blog turns 15 years old on Saturday.

After more than 1,000 posts I’ve been asking myself…is there anything left to say?

Then I look around…I listen to colleagues, friends and clients. 

I hear the struggles and see the stress they’re under to make a difference and lead through unbelievably difficult times. 

I see new leaders emerging each year who are trying to be relevant in the confusing and complicated world of work.

Is there anything left to say? 

Yes, indeed. There is so much more.

Cheers to the last 15 years…and to the many years ahead of holding ourselves accountable.

Thanks for being here.

Jay

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All at Once…All the Time

Leadership was the only option.

When I was young I couldn’t see myself being in any roles except leadership. I wasn’t entirely sure what that would look like, but I knew it was meant for me. And from the time I was young I seemed to end up in those roles, whether it was ‘with the boys’ or on a sports team or the various garage bands I played in.

As an adult, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to serve in leadership roles for more than 30 years. That makes me sound old, but candidly, I don’t feel it. Not yet anyway.

My youthful aspirations did not include the realities of leadership pressure to:

• Do it
• All the time
• All at once
• Manage the never-ending scrutiny
• Ignore the eyes of others always watching, and sometimes judging safely from a distance
• Achieve the future-state that is obvious at times yet requires so much patience
• Appreciate the tremendous satisfaction of seeing members of your team succeed when you know they’ve worked so hard to improve themselves

If we’re honest with each other, we place a tremendous amount of pressure on ourselves to do everything, all at the same time, every day.

I’m not sure that expectation makes sense. What do you think?

Back to it then.

Thanks for being here.

Jay

chit

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