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A Leaders Time for a Pit Stop?

16
Jul 2011

In this manic business world we choose to live in there is a cost and consequences to the machismo. Having untaken holiday to “carry over to next year” is worn as a badge of pride. You foolishly believe others will buy your lie that “I am so important and irreplaceable!”

Wrong.

I recently watched the CEO of one of the worlds top firms move on after a public spat over his next role and successor. Despite having been at the helm for over 5 years, the day he left, people corporately forgot him. The attitude was “the king is dead; long live the king!”.

The new CEO was immediately everyone’s focus. Would they be good or bad? Could they curry favour or might they be removed for being too closely associated with the previous king?

The point is – we are quickly forgotten as leaders. The corporation has a very short memory. It forgets the late nights and weekends you worked. It discounts and ignore the holiday you never took with your family. It doesn’t reward you for having a complete unhealthy imbalance between work and life.

This summer I encourage you as leaders to leave your email and phone call worries behind with your deputy. Start delegating, trusting them and your assistant. Refresh, recharge and take a pit stop. Then you will be fully refilled after 2 weeks in the sun.

You will be of greater added value.
You WILL see the wood for the trees…..now.

That is just what I am going to do!

Warm regards as I prepare to head off to Cyprus
Jonathan

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