Thoughts on Seth’s TED Talk
Seth Godin thinks big thoughts, and he can write them down in very simple ways. That’s a truly amazing gift. I recently watched a talk he gave at TED and it really got me thinking. If you haven’t seen it, give it a look.
His talk is about changing the world, but what he emphasizes is leadership. It takes leadership to change the world (or change most anything). Any of us can be leaders (as Seth points out). We just need to do some simple things in order to activate that leadership.
1. We have to care.
Leaders have found something that they care very much about. That caring helps them to overcome the personal and systemic risks that they are going to face in the pursuit of the change they want to make. Seth asks, “Who are you upsetting? Because if you are not upsetting anyone they you are not making change.”
2. We have to have followers.
Seth makes a great point that there are people all around us, waiting to be lead. People disaffected, or disappointed, or somehow looking for something better. They all feel more or less alone, but a leader can draw them together. In the history of the world it has never been easier to pull together a group of followers. If you put a stake in the ground, and start telling people about it, you will find out if your tribe is out there.
3. We have to tell them where to go.
Leaders have a vision of how this change that they are enacting is going to be made. It may not be a complete, and perfect plan. Often times leaders need their followers to help them to refine and improve the plan. But they have a general idea or two and they can articulate that vision in a compelling way. That’s what mobilizes the followers they find.
What the world needs is more leaders. Leaders at every level of our community, government, business, church, school and neighborhood. We need people who care enough to put out their manifesto and gather a tribe and tell them where to go. What do you care about? What’s your vision? What are you doing to make that vision a reality?
Brad Farris is a small business advisor with Anchor Advisors, Ltd. in Chicago, Il. Since 2001 Anchor Advisors has been helping creative professional firms to grow, by helping them clarify their purpose, get the most from their people, keep their eye on key performance measures, and implement consistent processes.
