Wimpy and Cocky

Success to Significance

The purpose of the 7 Daily Nuggets is to teach us what we need to know to live a prosperous life; the things that we may not have learned or are not currently learning in church, school, home or at work. Let’s apply what we learn here and share these nuggets with others. We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

How can we move from success to significance? Sometimes we have to ask ourselves not what we have to do and instead ask what we have to stop doing. Our blind spots or what we don’t know can be hurting us big time. This is what a mentor can be priceless to help us move from success to significance.

Today’s nuggets focus on behaviors leaders fail to recognize which are preventing them to move from increasing the level of significance.

1.    Comfort. Analysis paralysis. Just move on. Remember General Patton? He shot the mule, paid the farmer, so the army could move on. Being comfortable for too long is not a good sign.

2.    Discomfort. Inability to bounce back from setbacks and failures. Fail forward. Get up and keep things moving. It is a lot easier to correct something in motion; it is easier to stir the car when moving. Deal with discomfort and learn from it.

3.    Inflexibility. Be willing to bend and not break. Change as the world around you changes without compromising your principles and values.

4.    Unloving. Can’t get along with others? The problem is likely you. Put yourself in other people’s situation and argue their position so you can see things from their position.

5.    Know it all. How can we even think that we know it all or are the solo holders of the truth? Ask bigger questions instead of providing the answers.

6.    Indecision. Don’t shy away from touch and courageous decisions. Trust your instincts, decide and move.

7.    Abusive. Abusing positional rank or authority. Watch the language, spoken and unspoken. Failure to communicate from coming across as either wimpy or cocky.

People will care once they see you caring instead of knowing.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy)