Revisit the rallying statement. The statement does not say ‘. . . the more responsibilities that you carry, the harder it becomes for anyone in any orbit to ignore you.’ This is where most of us who work as operatives miss it. We think if we immerse ourselves in many areas of responsibility, whether in the same orbit or multiple orbits, we are home and dry. Safe and out of danger. Enterprising and thriving. This is not true. Why? Because you and I sell our ingenuity to a rational market. What is more, rational markets are discerning and poignantly selective. They pay for quality, not quantity. More does not entail better. But better transcends more. In a rational market, quality is more valuable than quantity.
When you become better at carrying responsibility or doing something, you can produce more of it efficiently, outstandingly, and above all, the output is often of high quality. Furthermore, you can live up to people’s expectations. This, in turn, makes you more dependable, adorable and sought after in the marketplace. No one will ignore you - whether as an employee, apprentice, or service provider. Become spectacularly proficient at carrying or executing responsibility. It was not the size of the steps of the run that made Eliud Kipchoge break the two-hour barrier marathon and hold the world record, but the speed at which he spun his feet and steps. It was not the length of tenure of office at General Electric that made Jack Welch be the most hailed turnaround executive of his time, but the scope of his leadership in strategy execution. Excellence matters.
Stephen Covey is famous for his book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Covey identifies and cites seven standards that high performers are known for that drive personal ingenuity, productivity, and success in rational markets; the habits that make industry titans better at carrying responsibility. One such standard is ‘self-renewal,’ which in essence speaks of continuous improvement. Covey metaphorically refers to it as ‘sharpening the saw.’ In the same way a chainsaw needs sharpening to cut wood efficiently, you and I need self-care routines to be productive and succeed in life. Abraham Lincoln understood the importance of self-improvement vis-à-vis quality execution of work when he weighed in, “. . . give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four hours sharpening the axe.” Success in life comes from thorough preparation and quality execution of work, not endless haphazard activities.
There is a story about a certain sword maker who met a maharaja at the former’s workshop. The maharaja was impressed with the work of the sword maker. The swords on display were of high quality. The finishing was eminently pristine. Spotless. The maharaja could not resist but ask the sword maker how he managed to distill such perfection into his craft in an age where ingenuity was scarce. The sword maker responded, “. . . when I was young, I knew my work was going to be a sword maker. So, I poured myself into sword making. I did not touch any work unless it was sword making. With time, I improved my skill. I became better at carrying the responsibility of my craft. Now, I make swords that the market fancies and calls pristine. This is the background and secret of my ingenuity.”
If your CEO were to ask you for an account of your career background, what would you say? Will the narrative bear the same connotation as that of the sword maker? Or a winding, loaded account with twenty years of experience in different orbits, different sectors, different institutions, different roles and responsibilities? If it connotes the latter, then, unquestionably, you have the run-through devoid of ingenuity.
You may not be a golfer or follow the sport. But I bet you know Tiger Woods. Yes, Tiger Woods is idolized in the golf fraternity as a legend. His illustrious career as a golf icon and celebrity status were not earned overnight. There is a back story.
Tiger Woods was born into a family of expert golfers. His father, Earl, was a licensed trainer and a confessed golf addict. Earl exposed Tiger to the game, taught the young boy the grip and putting strokes before he could talk. Tiger watched his father hit balls into a practice net for hours on end.
Daily. Then, the pair was on the range practicing and on the course playing regularly. Tiger was assigned to a professional trainer when he was four. The rest is written in history. Tiger went on to win a record one hundred and nine tournaments, of which eighty-two were PGA victories and fifteen major championships.
Every successful story that we witness in life has a background. A secret. Every accomplishment in life and business is an echo. Whatever you throw into the world will come back to you in the same way an echo reverberates back to the speaker and bystanders. Plant quality seeds, you shall reap a quality harvest. Sow ingenuity in your area of responsibility, and you will reap success. The vigor that you apply in your work generates a force that returns to you as an outcome - success or failure.
Don’t just admire people’s victories or accomplishments when they are performing on stage or carrying the responsibility of their office with ease. It demands a lot. Every accomplishment in life is supported by a sound background. Look at the processes that elite performers go through and forge them to reach the execution level of automaticity; the rehearsals that go into the victories; the cold, sleepless nights that a serious-minded student endures to study examination materials to obtain certification; the tenacity that a resolute salesperson pursues business prospects and pipelines. In leadership, this is referred to as the swan effect. A swan moves on the surface of a body of water with ease and grace. What we don’t see are the kicks and labor that it endures to push itself forward with its paddled legs beneath the water. We admire the serenity, calmness, and chic that the swan enjoys on the surface. We forget that it takes an enormous amount of effort to achieve the tranquility. Kahlil Gibran, the bestselling author of all time, wrote his book "The Prophet" for five years. He carried it around in his briefcase, working and reworking the manuscript to ensure that every letter and punctuation mark in the book were perfect and in their place. Gibran, like every elite exceptionalist, understands the value of quality. Quality is self-marketing. It creates its own demand and makes a difference in life and business.
Success is like an echo. You get what you put in. The higher the pitch, the louder the echo. The lighter the tone, the fainter the echo. Every victory or achievement that you garner in life is a reflection of the quality of effort, action, and responsibility that you put into the work. Sir Isaac Newton was right with his third law of motion, “. . . to every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” What you throw into the world comes back to you with comparable impact. Work on your ingenuity. Secure your space fervently. Jack Welch put it better than I could when he warned, “ . . . control your own destiny or someone else will manage it.”
Views from the top are that leaders who make the greatest impact in business and life are not necessarily the most talented. No. They are the ones who consistently invest in becoming better and exceptional - whether through apprenticeship or formal education. Personal mastery is like bank interest; it compounds. Every book that you read, every training course that you enroll in, every mwalimu that you learn from, every seminar that you attend, every skill that you develop, every discourse that stretches your thinking, continues to pay immeasurable dividends long after the moment of learning is gone. It comes back to you as an echo reverberates to the speaker. Take charge to shape your future.
Lester Chinyang’anya ǀ General Manager - Operations ǀ Minet Malawi
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