In her May 9 “Your Best Next Move” video, Bobbie LaPorte shares inspiration from an unlikely source: the Caldecott Award-winning children’s picture book “Zen Shorts.” One story’s simple lesson is also an excellent leadership tip for all of us who feel like we’re carrying an extra heavy load as we try to lead in these uncertain times.
Transcript of Your Best Next Move: How Can Leaders Lighten a Heavy Load?
Hi everyone, Bobbie LaPorte here again with my weekly leadership tip for your Best Next Move, where I help you see continuing curveballs as an opportunity. This year, I will help you actively use your personal agency to accelerate what you want to accomplish in 2022.
Each week as I start to think about what to share in these tips, I reflect back on my week for inspiration, for ideas that are timely and relevant to today’s leaders who are dealing with unrelenting uncertainty.
This week – thanks to my good friend and colleague – Kristi Royse – I am going to share a lesson from the children’s book – “Zen Shorts”– where the author, Jon Muth, adapts three ancient Zen tales in a format for young readers that creates timeless lessons for all ages.
I want to share one of those stories called “A Heavy Load”
(** start story text)
“Two traveling monks reached a town where a young woman was waiting to step out of her sedan chair. The rains had made deep puddles and she couldn’t step across without spoiling her silken robes. She stood there, looking very cross and impatient. She was scolding her attendants. They had nowhere to place the packages they held for her, so they couldn’t help her across the puddle.
The younger monk noticed the woman, said nothing, and walked by. The older monk quickly picked her up and put her on his back, transported her across the water and put her down on the other side. She didn’t thank the older monk, just shoved him out of the way and departed.
As they continued on their way, the young monk was brooding and preoccupied. After several hours, unable to hold his silence, he spoke out. “That woman back there was very selfish and rude, but you picked her up on your back and carried her! Then she didn’t even thank you!”
“I set the woman down hours ago,” the older monk replied. “Why are you still carrying her?”
With the many responsibilities we are carrying and the added weight of leading in uncertain times, we are all carrying a heavy load.
So, here’s my tip:
Reflect back on your week and ask:
- What extra load or burden are you carrying?
- Are you resentful of someone who treated you unfairly?
- Are you frustrated with an issue or situation that isn’t going the way you expected?
- Are you putting too much pressure on yourself to do more, to be there more for everyone?
In this environment of change and uncertainty, there is only so much we can control. What load can you give up; let go of – and focus your personal agency on the things that really matter – where you can have the most impact.
That’s my tip for this week. For more help on using your personal agency to make uncertainty a part of your success strategy for 2022 – check out my new book – “When the Curveballs Keep Coming: A Leadership Playbook for an Uncertain World”, and my new online course – “Leading Through Uncertainty.”