Make your bed. Change the world.
"If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed." Admiral William H. McRaven
It is simple thinking, I suppose, and it is probably the mere simplicity of the concept that excites me most. As Admiral McRaven, U.S. Navy Seal Commander so eloquently explains...by making your bed each morning, you have accomplished the first task of the day. Think of it like building off your success...and this success will produce in you a sense of pride that will naturally carry over into the next task and the next task, etc. at hand.
By the end of the day, you will have created a series of "small wins" that can ultimately lead to BIG victories for your company, organization, and your team.
As a leader, attention to the details matter. How can you affect real change without fully embracing the "little things" about your business. The people. The processes. The products. Making your bed reinforces the notion that little things in life matter.
As we re-emerge from the FOG of COVID, (that has extended far longer than anyone may have thought just over a year ago now), have you taken a minute to check in with members of your team. How are they doing? Are they ready for the next phase of this pandemic, re-entry into routines or expectations that may have excited prior to our quarantining and working remotely? What type of support do they need? Do they even know? How you can best support this transition? What are they most fearful of? And how can you manage the "little" details of what may feel like "big" changes?
Admiral McRaven also said that "If you cannot do the little things right, you will never do the big things right." Tapping into our Sage power of EMPATHY right now, I believe, is the single most important "little thing" we can all be doing. Be gentle and easy on ourselves first and start small ( like with making your bed) and ease into the ever "ZOOMING" expectations that may seem to be coming at a pace that many are not yet ready for. Then show compassion and empathy to those we lead, connect with them, and co-create some "little" steps as we move through yet another transition. We all have suffered some degree of trauma and many of us are not even aware of the extent it exists in our life.
As leaders, we know that each day brings new challenges and so, as we work to keep ourselves "mentally fit" to best ride these waves of life, know that even when we have had a difficult day we will return to a bed that is made! This bed reminds us of the small victories we each completed that day AND encourages us that tomorrow is a NEW day, with fresh new perspectives and possibilities.
Changing the world is not easy...baby steps and consistency as we all rebuild into our new tomorrows, TOGETHER!
