Starting and Following

3 minutes, that's all it's going to take. 3 minutes and you'll know what you've got to go and do to start a movement.

Do you ever feel like you are the only one trying? The only one who 'gets it'. The only one who can see so desperately what is needed to improve the morale, the efficiency, the outcomes.....what it is - you understand but no-one seems to be joining in. 

Derek Sivers (warning - just fell down the rabbit hole of his great website and came out quite a while later with a new 'now' page on the website) delivers a short and punchy talk using what TED calls 'unusual' footage to explain how to bring people along on the inspiring and wonderful journey/plan/project with you. You need people to help you change the way it currently works. You need people to deliver the outcomes you've got to deliver. You need people to get the job done. 

If you are leading in healthcare today there are a lot of lessons in this short TED talk, it's a value for time TED talk for sure. I'm picking that you might at times feel like the lone dancing guy. So my challenge for you this week - who is your first follower? Do you know? DO they know?  Go thank them, follow the lead of the lone dancing guy and build your follower up. "The first follower is what turns a lone nut into a leader"

But the big lesson here, is to learn how to follow. This is what is going to bring about the shift and the change. It's not about leadership or the leader, it takes courage to be a follower and to show others how to follow. This weeks challenge took a step up then - find your follower and find who you are following. Whose ideas and ways of working do you need to help spread? Who can you help by strengthening their leadership?

Click the link below for the video and from Derek Sivers own words, this article from his website explores more of the leadership lessons from shirtless dancing man.