Looking to the Light

Networking: What is it Good For?

Some people fight to hold on to the ideal that success is found by what you know and do and not by who you know. I can understand. I'm a proud individual often unwilling to admit that my successes have come most commonly from the opportunities or experiences I've had because of who I know. Over the last year I've found success from partners I work with, people I met through Linkedin, and contacts I've made from both of those.

Then I think about how much people I'm close to have impacted my decisions and realize that again my success has been impacted by knowing smart people who give me great advice. People like my father, my brother, Ben Peterson, Ryan Sanders and a whole handful of others. So networking, what is it good for? Absolutely everything!!!

From Good to Great

I just read the book "Good to Great" on the flight from Salt Lake City to Honolulu. I couldn't put it down because I see so much of what I'd like to be as a business leader and because I've often struggled with hiring new employees and wanting to compromise a little. In his book, Jim Collins, talks about how when hiring you must first ask who then what. If you can find the right people you can move them into many roles that they may be able to succeed at but you can't move the wrong people into any seat on the bus. Before reading the book I had just interviewed two guys that I was considering hiring to work for me and I knew they weren't the right fit but thought I could hire either of them and hopefully they'd still work out. While reading about hiring I knew I couldn't hire either of them. Seems simple but when you need to hire it's harder than you can imagine.

Success - One's Biggest Downfall

Macaulay Culkin, Baja Men (Who Let the Dogs Out?), Jonathan Abrams, etc. To me these are examples of people who have found one success and have held so strongly to their one success that they have failed to be successful. Did we really need 3 Home Alone's? Perhaps Macaulay Culkin doing Home Alone and hanging out with Michael Jackson led to his inability to be cast in bigger and better roles that would have been able to push Culkin's career to unfathomable heights.

The corollary, Michael Jordan, Donald Trump, Michael Jackson (despite his weirdness). These are prime examples of people who were/are constantly find successes and people I would describe as grossly successful.

What differentiates these two groups? The successful people are consumed with being the best and brightest while the unsuccessful people were so struck to have a success that they failed to reach the next level. Any thoughts on how we keep from getting star-struck and become successful amidst our successes? A friend of mine is a great example to me of this.

Attitude of Success

Have you ever seen the movie Coach Carter? Coach Carter, played by Samuel L. Jackson, takes the position of Head Coach at an inner-city high school filled with hood rats. Throughout the movie Carter keeps asking one of his players, Timo Cruz, what his biggest fear is? After a dramatic series of events pulling Timo out of the street life he discovers what Nelson Mandela relayed in his inaugural address:

"Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us. We ask ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?" Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God, your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us. It is not just in some; it is in everyone. And, as we let our light shine, we consciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

As a manager I spend a lot of time trying to train people to be successful and I've finally come to the conclusion that you can't teach someone to be successful. You can give people the tools, instructions on how to use the tools, and tips on how to hone people skills but people need to find within themselves the desire to succeed. Each of us must be willing to risk looking like fools to be able to find success. In a company, a family, or amongst friends it never serves anyone to think small. We are all born to shine and to bring out the light in those around us. Succcess can not be taught but it is found within all of us. We need to search deep and find what will motivate us to be successful. Is it money? Is it social status? A title? An office? A beautiful girl or guy?

For me my big passion that motivates me is...success. I love to conquer a challenge or a take risks so that I can be successful. And I don't want some lame success that I could find in my sleep. I want one of those hard painful successes that reuired stretching myself to new heights.

What motivates you?