Greetings from a hotel in downtown Regina. I hope this finds each of you well. I’ve had the great pleasure of reading my brother in law, Paul Alofs’ new book, “Passion Capital” http://www.mcnallyrobinson.com/9780771007477/paul-alofs/passion-capital which is coming out next week. It’s a great read. Early on in the book he talks about the importance of a creed, first using the example many of us are familiar with , that of Johnson & Johnson, and how important it was during the Tylenol scare all those years ago. But then, he shares the creed of the organization that he leads, The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation. I quoted from their ‘creed’ in Paul’s book in a strategic planning workshop this morning;
“It may seem like we will be fighting this fight forever. But we won’t. Because we’re closing in. We have the momentum. We have the talent. And we have the passion. This is the front line. We are Canada’s cancer warriors. But we can’t do it alone. The world needs to hear the Princess Margaret message. So share it at every opportunity with anyone who will listen. It’s a simple message, really. But it’s a message of incredible power: we are conquering cancer at Canada’s cancer research centre, the Princess Margaret. In our lifetime.”
Conquering cancer in our life time. Now that is a compelling story!
If you want to get your team moving in a particular direction. If you want to get your organization to shift to a new environment, find the compelling story. What difference does your team make, what difference does your organization make to the people and communities it serves? What difference do you make to the people you serve? I am coming to understand that real success in life is found not in the salary, or even in the ‘freedom’ money appears to bring. Real success in life is found when the work we do makes a difference for other people. So, if you can’t find a compelling story in your team or organization as a leader, go and find a place to work that does make a difference. You’ll be so much happier, so much more at peace with yourself and others. And as such, a much better leader.
May each of us find a story and work that makes a difference.