Working It Out: Weekly Pondering....or Reading

To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.

--Ralph Waldo Emerson

It has been a long busy stressful week. If you didn't catch the three adjectives ill just say "I am happy its Friday!" As I was flipping through my blog reader of 517 unread articles I realized different titles were jumping out at me. Titles ranging from yoga to competing for the most stressed out. I mean if you're going to let it happen, then why not lead the pack.

While considering my inflexibility and the pain required to become flexible I came across Ralph's quote. While reading it my last two interviews and their communicated understanding of success sprung into the forefront of my mind.

It's funny how different people define success. Well, I guess it isn't funny how people define it, but how they don't define it. Most people define success monetarily, just as my last two candidates did. Consequently, upon me probing deeper in the interview into what that meant for them, such as to generate a particular dollar figure for the acquisition of their services, their answers were left wanting. The vague general taxonomy of "financial success" wasn't really what either candidate wanted. They wanted titles, power, prestige, and the opportunity for growth. I realized while they said one thing, they meant another. None of the candidates could readily identify their deeper desires without speaking in terms of financial success. Don't get me wrong, what they were desiring usually results in financial success, but it is a ramification to acquiring the first which leads to the latter. This left me wondering, do they know what they really want? Do I?

I was asked again this week, if I did. One would think my strength of deliberation would eventually help me articulate an answer. However, a strength taken too its extreme is a weakness or blind spot (I've heard successful people are able to identify and rectify) In ruminating upon my desires, and clicking through my blog reader trying to find a manageable amount articles for this blog, Dick Briggs quote assaulted me.

"The greatest gap in life is the one between knowing and doing"

More questions to percolate on... Is my inability to articulate what I want a subconscious blind spot protecting me from fear of failure? Or is it fear of disrupting the status quo? Before I did too deep into my subconscious, ill ask you. Do you know what you want? Are you striving for it? How would others decipher your actions? Or do you have a subconscious a blind spot? However, you decide to answer, take comfort in Ralph recognizing there are multiple ways to reach success, and they might not be what we are trying to articulate.

What would a leader blog be without some articles...

Since I am hiring