I met with a past client for a drink yesterday evening. It had been a few years since we last saw each other, and a lot of water had flown under the bridge: he had remarried, changed jobs and changed cities.
When he walked into the restaurant, I could feel that something had changed in him. He was grounded, calm, assured, and happy. When we got around to catching up, it became clear to me that he had ‘done his work’. Specifically, in this CEO’s case, he had asked and answered some important questions: what matters to him, what he wants, what he’s willing to do, how he wants to live, who he wants to be, and who he wants to be with.
These are no small questions – they are the types of contemplations that define a life, and thus define a career. They take energy, focus, and unearthing. Their answers don’t come easily, but they are very worth the effort as these answers are transformational by nature. They make a life.
I like using the phrase ‘doing the work’ because it’s clear and absolute. There is no grey middle ground about doing one’s work. It’s not something that can be half-assed.
In my world, I work cognitively and energetically. The two modes are very different: cognition is rational, energy is felt. When working with CEOs, I rely on both in equal measure. Most people understand the cognition side, but very few understand the energetic side because it’s not visible and it’s not audible.
When I met this CEO, it was the energetics that stood out to me first. I could tell he had changed. But it was more than just ‘change’ – it was evolution. He had grown in stature – his presence was somehow larger.
This is the sign of a CEO who’d ’made the turn’.
Once this turn has been made, the entire field changes: what is possible, what is seen, what is understood. The entire game is new, and the potential increased.
Honestly, this is the only way to be a great CEO these days. Previously, this kind of transformational change was not needed – the business world was simpler and did not require this level of capacity from the CEO. But that is simply not the case any longer.
I recently listened to a podcast featuring Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JPMorgan. He’s actually quite a simple guy: he speaks in plain words, and he doesn’t get lost in complexity. But it is clear that Jamie has done his work. He’s been thoughtful about big topics and has spent time forming clear opinions and effective strategies. He’s spent time working on himself. He’s not even that busy – he spends half his day thinking, and the other half mentoring his top executives.
The choice not to do one’s work is understandable. Some CEOs aren’t drawn to it for a variety of reasons. I have no judgment of this type of CEO. But the truth is, this choice is purely a result of a lack of exposure. Once CEO’s get a taste of what it’s like to do the work, it becomes attractive and voluntary. Not doing the work feels foolish.
’Making the turn’ is not an easy thing to do, as it’s not waiting on a shelf. So, if you are interested in starting your journey of doing the work, contact us. I’m happy to spend some time sharing my experience of this process, and I might be able to give you a useful steer