Think back to the heroes in your life. I bet you can name a few. I know I can: Dan Sullivan inspired me to think in different ways using elegantly simple tools to approach complex issues. Michelle DeAngelis shared her considerable experience in managing organizations harmoniously. She kindly held the mirror up to me to help me understand how I look like to others. And Mary Snyder taught me to hold myself to a standard that was a cut about the rest.
These are just a few of the people who have been heroes to me. I can name many, many more.
But I wonder: To whom have I been a hero? I wish I could say that the list of names comes easily, but it does not. Yet, I do want to be a hero to the constituents in my life: my clients, my team members, my partners, and my family.
When I think of my partners, I am filled with gratitude for where they have carried me. I hope that I am a hero to them, but I think that I am not.
I discussed this recently with the Michelle and Dan, and this is what I cam to recognize: I cannot be a hero simply by being who I think my partners need me to be. To be a hero, I need to go to them and see where they are sitting. I need to listen to their struggles and their obstacles, and I need to understand their opportunities and their strengths.
More often than not, though, I believe I put my partners in the position of having to come to me. I am not doing a terrible job as their partner, but I could be better.
This is my goal, and I wanted to put it out there publicly.
What about you? Who do you want to be a hero to? And how can you do it?
Dan uses a told called the DOS, which measures “Dangers, Opportunities, and Strengths.” If we know the DOS of those to whom we want to be heroes, we can go to where they are, and we can do what we can to minimize their dangers and help them take advantage of their opportunities and strengths.
And, we can simply ask them what it is that they need.
When we spend time, money, or other resources, we can ask: “Does the use of this resource make it more probably that I can be a hero?”
So will you join me? Go on record and let me know to whom you want to be a hero.