Trying something different:
I want to write more, but I haven’t been great about making the time. So I think the mantra is, “when something is hard, you should do it more often.” So in that vein of thinking, and in the spirit of taking action, I am going to start writing down the things I think about each day and publishing them.
Today’s thought is around drifting, which is apt for the action I am taking, trying to do more with intention.
Lately, I have heard a couple places talking about being intentional, and what they say is the antithesis of being intentional is drifting. Now, these references were in terms of finance, but if you know anything about me, you know I love the concept of being intentional. I may not always execute on it well, but I keep trying.
I like having something to compare against in terms of behaviors, being able to describe the opposite of what I want, and I think the word drifting is a good other end of the spectrum to intentionality. Drifting is just letting you go where you get taken, whether it be due to wind, or wave, or being pushed by someone else. Drifting is letting things just unfurl however they might rather than trying to shape the outcome in a particular way.
There are probably some places where drifting is a good thing: drifting in the pool with a drink in your hand, or drifting away into a daydream while on vacation, or drifting to sleep at the end of a long day. You know where I don’t want to be drifting? In the way I run my business, in the way that I lead an organization, or group, or team. Those are times to be intentional, to use guardrails and guidelines to help generate outcomes.
Leaders can’t just drift. Leadership implies direction and intentional motion in that direction. Imagine being a leader who drifts along, letting whatever happen to their people. Are they really taking care of the people who are in their charge? Are they really helping to provide clarity and focus to outcomes? Are they really making sure that we are getting where we want to? Where we need to?
Leaders, don’t drift.