I’ve had an epiphany of sorts – that leadership dots isn’t about dots at all rather it’s about being the string. The dots that I connect – and others learn to connect as a result of reading these blogs – are common, everyday occurrences that everyone sees. Where the difference (dare I say, magic) comes in is when you act as the string to see the connections between things.
People have written to me saying that they have “dot eyes” and share examples of things that I may use in future leadership dots (I love that!). Really what they mean is that they are acting as the string – making linkages between things that otherwise appeared random or disconnected.
I have written before and preached many times about the value of stringing pearls together to make a necklace – meaning that often organizations have disparate programs, messages or services that would be much stronger if their common theme was made explicit. This is another way of saying “be the string.”
My new answer to “what do you do?” is “I’m the string” for organizations: helping align values and vision; teaching/training to make theories relevant and applicable for participants; coaching/consulting to connect solutions to problems; writing grants or proposals that tie together elements of what is and what’s possible, and sharing daily leadership dots to provide examples of “the string” in action.
I hope that through reading the dots, you cultivate skills that allow you to be the string as well.
(Even my logo is a few dots and primarily string!)
