“How often must I tell you that we are made wise not by the recollections of our past, but by the responsibilities of our future.” (Back to Methuselah, by George Bernard Shaw)
What you are doing today is more important than what happened to you yesterday.
Two reasons leaders remain fools:
#1. The good ole days
Twenty years from now these will be the good ole days.
It feels like the world is getting worse, but it’s getting better.
- Average global life expectancy in 1950 was 52.57 years. In 2018 it was 72.56 years.
- Average global infant mortality rate per 1,000 births in 1950 was 64.5. In 2019 it was 28.2.
- Extreme poverty included 42.5% of the world’s population in 1981. In 2017 it was 9.2%.
Source: World bank
Foolish leaders don’t celebrate progress because we still have far to go.
#2. Past as judge
When you ask someone how much they are going to enjoy a current experience they often compare it to the best experience of the past.
Everything is disappointing and dissatisfying when compared to a glittering past.
Every team is disappointing when you compare it to the best team in your memory. The same is true for steaks, TV shows, and vacations.
It’s foolish to compare current team members to the ‘Michael Jordans’ of the past.
Wisdom for leaders:
- Never complain about anything unless you’re ready to do something about it.
- Every time you feel like complaining, honor someone’s hard work.
- Always show up to make things better.
Wisdom has more to do with action than intelligence.
What prevents leaders from taking responsibility for the future?
What does taking responsibility for the future look like to you?
Bonus material:
Ah, The Good Ol’ Days: 5 Reasons Why We Glamorize The Past (elitedaily.com)
Helping People Take Responsibility – Take Ownership of Your Work from Mind Tools
5 Elements of Responsible Leadership | Accenture
The Five Dimensions of Responsible Leadership | INSEAD Knowledge
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This post was previously published on Leadership Freak with a Creative Commons License.
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Photo credit: iStock
