“Be not angry that you can not make others as you wish them to be, since you can not make yourself as you wish to be.”
– Thomas Kempis, as quoted by my dear friend, Kent Welch
We’re all works in progress, and once we get completely comfortable with the fact that we’ll solve problems best as a diverse set of individuals that are understanding of and accepting of the fact that we’ve all got some room left for paint on the canvas, Wow! The dynamic for change and influence is exciting! Especially when you consider the following quote from Bill George, who I saw speak about five years ago in a leadership seminar.
“Follow your compass, not your clock.”
It was his way of saying that doing the right thing by your moral compass will get one further faster in their career than racing toward self-imposed (or “other-imposed”) deadlines for promotion, recognition, etc. The clock, and the demands of others who might not even “get” the concept of a compass, can get in the way of our difference making.
Using our influence to make something incredible happen helps us make a difference, no matter how difficult the “work in progress” part makes it! It helps us honor our compass, even if the clock is ticking.
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