Leaders Get Rid of ‘The Crappy Stuff’
When CEO Mark Parker of Nike called Apple CEO Steve Jobs for advice, Jobs told him to “get rid of the crappy stuff.”
According to Forbes, When Parker asked for advice, Jobs said: “Well, just one thing. Nike makes some of the best products in the world. Products that you lust after. But you also make a lot of crap. Just get rid of the crappy stuff and focus on the good stuff.”
Leaders make a difference in the lives of others and the world. They do what has not been done before. They take people to new places. Leaders create meaningful experiences. To accomplish this, however, leaders can’t be tenacious about everything; they must focus on what matters. Take Steve Jobs’s advice to heart: identify the crappy stuff and let it go. Focus on what will produce results. Focus on what matters.
One of the most important things a leader must do is identify what they shouldn’t do. Don’t try to do everything. Learn to say, “No.” Be proud of what you do, but be prouder of what you didn’t do. There is much wisdom in these words.
(The above is an excerpt from my book, Along Came a Leader.)
I just finished an interview with Dan Butler for my Wired Educator Podcast. (Dan and I were fortunate enough to present at Jeff Zoul’s What Great Educators Do Differently Conference in Texas.) Dan just published an awesome new book titled Permission to be Great. In the book he discusses six areas that cause mismatches between people and their work. These mismatches cause stress and burnout.
It’s a leader’s job to remove some obstacles, take something off the plate, or as Steve Jobs put it, “Get rid of the crappy stuff.”
My challenge to you: What are you going to eliminate?
Leaders and innovators frequently talk about what they are going to start, do and finish, but there is a finite amount of time and space in a day, week and year. Just like a coffee cup, if you keep adding things will eventually spill over.
As we make plans both personally and professionally, we will certainly be adding new initiatives and goals, but what are we willing to remove?
What needs to go?
I hope you will send me an email or leave a comment below about what you plan to reduce or eliminate.
I hope you will grab a copy of Dan’s new book. It is a great book for leaders wanting to improve their culture.
I loved our conversation. It will be going live next week on The Wired Educator Podcast.)
(I like how both our books have an arrow pointing at each other’s book.)
~Kelly
Kelly Croy is an author, speaker, and educator. Want to learn more? Send an email. • Sign-up for Kelly’s Newsletter. Listen to Kelly’s other podcast The Wired Educator Podcast with over 200episodes of interviews and professional development. • Order Kelly’s book, Along Came a Leader a book on personal and professional leadership, and Unthink Before Bed: A Children’s Book on Mindfulness for your personal library. • Follow Kelly Croy on Facebook. • Follow Kelly Croy on Twitter. • Follow Kelly Croy on Instagram
