Here’s to New Beginnings!
John Maxwell writes in his book Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn, “every
beginning ends something and every ending begins something new. We are
constantly trading places in life”. Like a lot of John’s thoughts, they seem
simple at first read but are actually quite profound when you stop and think
about them.
I have had a recent experience with this
very concept of both endings and beginnings. Several months ago, we lost our
beloved Labrador Retriever named Kenzie. We raised Kenzie from a pup and were
blessed to have her for over 13 years. Those were years of good memories, a few
stained carpets, and the privilege of witnessing the pure exuberance of being a
dog at the beach! Now, after a few months, we are going to jump into “puppydom”
again. Say hello to Kaci!
Kaci will bring her own joys and
challenges to our home to be sure (maybe she will have a stronger stomach!),
but this new furry endeavor teaches some valuable leadership lessons about
endings, beginnings, and change.
First, this new beginning will not be
like the first one. Every time we start a new project, take on a new job, or
move to a new community even if it is in areas we have a lot of experience in,
it will not be like those that have come before. There will be new challenges,
new personalities, and new uncharted waters to negotiate.
Second, we should always be thankful for
endings, though they may have been painful, because they gives us the experience,
skills, and attitudes that will make us better at out next beginning. In the
example of getting a new dog, it was heartbreaking to lose Kenzie, but that was
13 years of dog ownership 101! Hopefully we will not repeat some of our early
mistakes at house training, be more patient in those puppy years, and be even
better dog owners.
Lastly, new employees, friends, jobs,
and even dogs, deserve to benefit from our experience but not our past. In
other words, it is critical we invest our whole effort in these new people,
places and things with our abilities that the past provided but not the bias.
Kaci will not be Kenzie, your new job is not your old one, and a new staff
member will not be like the one who you did such a good job in mentoring,
outgrew the job and moved on to something better.
As
always, if I can help you Get Better, Be Ready and LEAD OUT LOUD, I would love
to hear from you. More than likely you will be hearing some Kaci stories along
the way!
Yours
in Leadership,
Bill
Faulkner
Co-Founder
– Out Loud Strategies
Independent
Coach, Speaker, and Trainer with the John Maxwell Team TM
