A Force to be Reckoned With

The Force is a Farce
There is a scene from 'Stars Wars V: Empire Strikes Back' where Luke Skywalker is trapped in ice - and he needs to cut himself free in a hurry. As he looks around he sees his Light-sabre sticking out of the ice, way out of reach. Knowing that this is his only chance of survival he closes his eyes, reaches out, and conjures up all the knowledge of 'The Force' that he has to make it move.

I live that moment daily. There are so many things I want to achieve in this life that are just out of reach - whether it be the remote, a cookie, or maybe my 16 month old baby girl running out the front door - everything seems to be just out of reach. And no matter how hard I try to use it, the Force just isn't there. And no matter how long I sit there for - I need to get up off my chair and make that cookie get into my hand. I am the one that needs to be the force.

Force = Mass X Acceleration
The real reason why the Force is a farce is because of some silly little laws put together by a man named Newton. In his second law Newton states that Force is a direct relationship between the Mass of an Object and the Acceleration it is experiencing, ie. Force = Mass X Acceleration.

So if Luke Skywalker attempts to make an object of Mass attain acceleration - he actually has to apply some force to it, not just stick his hand out and close his eyes.

A Force to be Reckoned with
Leaders understand Newton's 2nd law of motion by default, and that's because leaders make an impact on their environment. For somebody to make a difference there needs to be some sort of change - things cannot remain the same as they were. Leaders make a difference, if they aren't then they are not leading. So good leaders ensure that they make a good impact. 

The amount of impact a leader makes is determined by the formula: Impact = Knowledge X Action.

Knowledge
Leaders need to grow, they need to get bigger, they need to be internalising objective material that helps their world expand.

Put simply - Leaders are Readers. They read books, they read people, they read the times. Leaders get around great people, they ask defining questions, and they listen.

Knowledge is NOT enough
There is a misnomer out there that Knowledge is Power. Knowledge can be powerful, but it cannot make an impact on its own. Knowledge is much like Mass when compared to Newton's 2nd law. Knowledge can bring weight and substance to leadership - but without movement it does nothing. An object with no mass would not exist and would bring absolutely no force. Similarly, leadership without knowledge is impossible.

Action
Action is very much like its little cousin 'Acceleration'. When an object of mass experiences acceleration it becomes forceful. Similarly, when knowledge is put into action it will make an impact. It doesn't matter how big or little action is, it always leaves an impact. Consider the impact a little stream can have, even though there may be only a little bit of water travelling at a slow pace, over time the stream will tear through rock and leave a devastating impact. As long as water moves it will change its environment - as log as leaders are putting knowledge to action they will make a difference. 

A lot of people underestimate the power of action and overestimate the effectiveness of knowledge. I grew up with a lot of people who knew a heap of stuff - but they never did anything with it. Yet there are many others who may have had only a little bit of knowledge or insight to work with - but work with it they did. And over time the consistency of their actions made a lasting impact in their spheres of influence.

The Force of a Wrecking Ball
The combination of knowledge and action determines the impact a leader will leave. And the greater knowledge a leader attains the greater impact they will leave - as long as they put it to work. Never wait for a plan to be perfect before executing it - an imperfect plan that is executed well, is better than a perfect plan not executed at all. 

If you have a go early on you will build momentum with the knowledge you get through experience, and momentum is easily maintained as long as you have consistent forward movement that is greater than the forces acting against it, this is where Newton's first and third laws come into play. By consistently adding to your knowledge, and by persistently putting it to use in practical application - you will build devastating momentum that will leave a lasting impact.

What breakthrough have you seen in your world through consistently putting knowledge into practise? How has Momentum added impact in your level of leadership?

Lean in.

Jamie

The Power of Apprenticing

You only know as much you know. Like most people, I know what I know - and I know it confidently. So when I talk to somebody else who knows something I don’t - I don’t know it.

Know what I am talking about?

Let me explain
I often get into arguments with people who tell me something that I have never heard before. Not because they are wrong, but because what they are sharing exists outside the bounds of my sphere of understanding. And it can be painful when my brain collides with new and contradictory thoughts that need to be reconciled in a new idea. Change is a painful process. It also hurts to hear that you’re wrong.

The Wise Cousin
I grew up in the presence of a wiser, older cousin. He knew stuff. He once explained to me that the way that police know how fast you are going - is through the use of special guns they have that smell the smoke coming out of your exhaust pipe. This led to an interesting conversation with my grade four teacher in front of the class when she started explaining the basics of how radar works. Needless to say she learnt something new. And it was painful.

Be an Apprentice
After learning the hard way several times, I began to realise the importance of following in the jet stream of somebody who has been there an done that before. This is an idea that has been around for thousands of years - being an apprentice.

Get around somebody Great
In order to grow, in order to get better, and in order to learn - we need to be around somebody who exceeds us in knowledge and ability. It is well said that we are the average of the five closest people to us, so we need to be getting around better people.

Ruth 1:16 shows the power that a good leader can have on a good apprentice. As Naomi was trying to convince Ruth to stay behind, Ruth replies “… Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.”

Leadership

I read this passage in the book of Ruth the other day and for the first time I saw beyond Ruth’s loyalty, and instead I got a glimpse of Naomi’s leadership. Naomi was an amazingly, inspiring, and motivating person. She knew how to get the job done. When the chips were down, she would lean in and find breakthrough. When resources got scarce, she positioned herself for a win. Naomi was a phenomenal leader - and Ruth wanted a part of it.

Ruth knew that she only knew what she only knew, so she followed Naomi as an apprentice of life. She gleaned and learned from her, and Ruth knew that she would continue to grow and her capacity would expand. 

Ruth was a hard worker - but she learned that from Naomi. Ruth was a gentle, kind, and humble person. Yet she was strong and a determinedly spirited woman - traits she gained from Naomi.

Naomi was a leader - and Ruth was her apprentice. Ruth is one of the most famous woman throughout the history of humanity, and all she did was learn the power of apprenticing - and position herself in Naomi’s jetstream.

Are you inspired by the five closest people to you? Who can you position yourself under to expand your capacity?

Lean in.

Jamie