Self Leadership and the One Minute Manager: Gain the mindset and skillset for getting what you need to succeed

Self Leadership and the One Minute Manager: Gain the mindset and skillset for getting what you need to succeed Ken Blanchard Susan Fowler Laurence Hawkins Twenty years after creating the phenomenal bestselling classic The One Minute Manager, Ken Blanchard returns to its roots with the most powerful and essential title in the series as he explores the skills needed to empower yourself to success.In this captivating business parable, bestselling author Ken Blanchard tells the story of Steve, a young advertising executive who is about to lose his job. During a series of talks with a gifted magician named Cayla, Steve comes to realize the power of taking responsibility for his situation and not playing the victim. Passing along the knowledge she has learned from The One Minute Manager, Cayla teaches Steve the three tricks of self leadership. These three techniques not only empower him to keep his job, but give him the skills he needs to keep growing, learning, and achieving.The primary message of SELF-LEADERSHIP AND THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER is that power, freedom, and autonomy come from having the right mindset and the skills needed to take personal responsibility for success. (#u9a956a85-c04b-513a-ba34-d293278bb12c) Copyright (#u9a956a85-c04b-513a-ba34-d293278bb12c) Thorsons An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GF www.harpercollins.co.uk (http://www.harpercollins.co.uk) First published by Thorsons 2018 FIRST EDITION © Polvera Publishing, Susan Fowler and Laurie Hawkins 2005, 2018 Cover design © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2018 Grateful acknowledgement is made to Bristol Park Books for permission to reprint “The Business Card Trick” from The Mammoth Book of Fun and Games by Richard B. Manchester © 1976 by Hart Publishing Company, Inc. A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library Polvera Publishing, Susan Fowler and Laurie Hawkins assert the moral right to be identified as the authors of this work All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books. Find out about HarperCollins and the environment at www.harpercollins.co.uk/green (http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/green) Source ISBN: 9780008263669 Ebook Edition © February 2018 ISBN: 9780008263676 Version: 2017-11-27 Contents Cover (#ucaf6fad7-5a6a-5ad5-87a4-6ccb685e541d) Title Page (#ufc645597-dd79-5a6e-93cb-3fc831432ae7) Copyright (#u03077aa5-214b-5fc7-8e52-1467c4e6a46f) Introduction by Ken Blanchard (#u95fc9eba-73c6-5086-aee1-d73a90439ddb) Do You Believe in Magic? (#ua0fddc6c-81e8-5f76-a67f-bdd1bf68c794) People Are Not Mind Readers (#ue18a28bc-1c75-54fe-bdfa-91d6e2582669) Elephant Thinking (#u2ae269ce-3b60-5413-a5d4-f1e48f059f2c) Cycles of Power (#litres_trial_promo) Diagnose Yourself (#litres_trial_promo) Getting What You Need (#litres_trial_promo) Running Together (#litres_trial_promo) No Excuses (#litres_trial_promo) One Minute Magic (#litres_trial_promo) Appendix: The Business Card Trick (#litres_trial_promo) Acknowledgments (#litres_trial_promo) About the Authors (#litres_trial_promo) Services Available (#litres_trial_promo) About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo) To my mother, Dorothy Blanchard, who taught me how to take control of my own life before someone else did. —KEN BLANCHARD To my wonderful parents, Phyllis and Dick, who helped me realize the magic of self leadership by encouraging my curiosity, independence, and love of learning. —SUSAN FOWLER To my three daughters, Genevieve, Ashley, and Juliet, with the fondest hope that they may be beneficiaries of these self leadership concepts and tools and immerse themselves in the good life. —LAURENCE HAWKINS Introduction (#u9a956a85-c04b-513a-ba34-d293278bb12c) Today it’s imperative that people become self leaders—individuals capable of setting priorities, taking initiative, and solving problems independently. In the old days, command-and-control managers often made all the decisions and told people what, when, and how to do things. We now know that this management style can erode a healthy sense of autonomy and dampen people’s initiative, creativity, and sense of well-being. The nature of 21st-century work requires a more collaborative working environment. Advances in technology are decentralizing the workplace. For example, more people are working virtually and using cloud-based tools to move projects forward. Things are changing so rapidly that direct reports often know more about their work than their managers do. In today’s collaborative, decentralized workplace, it’s essential that individuals become proactive contributors rather than reactive order-takers. For things like sales campaigns and customer service initiatives to succeed, they must be supported by people skilled in proactive self leadership. First published in 2005, Self Leadership and the One Minute Manager introduced a proven path to empowerment in the guise of a fun-to-read parable. In the increasingly fast-paced world of work, this updated edition is more relevant than ever. If you are an individual contributor, this book will show you how to be proactive about getting the help you need in order to succeed. If you are a manager or executive, this book will teach you the fundamentals about developing self leaders. Our research shows that when individual contributors and managers align around self leadership, both become more engaged and produce better results. As a result, customers are happier and organizations become more profitable. In fact, a culture of self leadership is the hallmark of great organizations. In these companies, leadership is happening everywhere, not just in the C suite. So enjoy this story. As you’ll soon discover, self leadership is not a rare ability reserved only for the supermotivated and highly gifted people of the world. It is a mindset and skillset that can be learned—and taught. Do You Believe in Magic? (#u9a956a85-c04b-513a-ba34-d293278bb12c) Steve cleared his throat and looked around the conference room table. “Welcome, everyone.” After months of preparation, this was the moment he had been working so hard for—his first ad campaign presentation. And he was more than a little nervous. The ten men and two women sitting before him were his clients, and they would decide if his campaign was acceptable for the upcoming year. Steve distributed spiral-bound copies of the campaign proposal to the eleven vice presidents and then handed one to Roger, the president of United Bank. “I’d like to begin by reviewing our budget.” Steve directed their attention to the projector screen, where he presented the budget amounts allocated to design, production, and media buys. He discussed his media recommendations and the rationale behind each one. Next, he explained the underlying thinking that had gone into the creative part of the campaign. “Any questions?” Steve asked. Around the table, people shook their heads. Steve sensed they were just waiting to see what the campaign was going to look and sound like. “All right, let me move on to the creative approach we’re recommending.” Directing the presentation from his laptop onto the projector screen, Steve revealed storyboards for the proposed television commercials. Next, he showed preliminary print ads and direct mailers. Finally, he read the radio ad scripts out loud. When his presentation came to an end, Steve took a deep breath and waited to hear what they thought. At first, no one spoke. The silence stretched uncomfortably. Finally, one of the VPs said, “You took a much lighter approach than I thought you would, but maybe that’s good—it projects a friendly bank.” Another VP spoke up: “You’ve obviously put a lot of time and effort into this campaign.” After another awkward silence, all heads turned to Roger, the bank’s president. “This is garbage,” Roger said. Stunned, Steve went blank. He simply didn’t know how to respond. He nodded his head as though he were trying to shake out a thought. “I guess we’ve missed the mark,” Steve finally managed. “I’ll go back and talk to the creative team. I’ll be back in touch next week.” Steve didn’t remember how he got to his car. He found himself driving—but not back to the agency. There was no way he could face his team. Thank heaven his boss, Rhonda, was out of town. He needed to find a place where he could be alone and think. He also needed a good cup of coffee. Driving through an unfamiliar neighborhood, he happened upon a place called Cayla’s Caf?. He went in hoping to find relief. He gazed around the bookstore caf? with its solid wood tables and matching heavy wood chairs. It was a very different place than the high-tech chrome and high energy of the ad agency. He found solace in the cavelike coolness, and was warmed by the smell of coffee. What had gone wrong? How did things get so far off track? Steve ordered a mocha and let the warmth of the mug seep into his palms. After this latest fiasco, he was sure to be fired. As he thought about it, he was surprised he had gotten this far. Five years before, Steve had felt as though he’d won the lottery. Rhonda, cofounder of the Creative Advertising Agency, had hired him straight out of college with a degree in marketing. He’d taken an entry-level position and quickly worked his way to lead production manager in charge of several large accounts. Last year he’d served as coproducer of the industry’s awards program for outstanding ad campaigns. Four months ago, Steve felt flattered when Rhonda gave him the opportunity to bypass the typical career path as a junior account exec on a larger account and take the account exec role on a small but well-regarded account—United Bank. Rhonda told Steve that she wanted to empower him, and that this was the perfect time to do so. Steve saw his promotion as his chance to prove himself. If he could make a mark with United Bank, he could soon take on the more prestigious, big-budget accounts. Or so he had thought. Now his confidence was shattered and his future in question. The meeting had unnerved him. The more he thought about the bank president’s reaction, the angrier he got. In a blinding flash, Steve realized the real source of his failure—it was Rhonda. She’d abandoned him! Where was she when he needed her and when everything was falling apart? Why hadn’t she warned him that the client was a nightmare, that the copywriter on his team was a whiner, and that the art director was an egomaniac? Rhonda was the one person who could have saved him from this humiliation, but instead, she’d “empowered” him. He had trusted her and she’d fed him to the wolves. Now that he had proved to be a failure, Steve was sure Rhonda would fire him. He decided to beat her to the punch. She wouldn’t fire him—he’d quit! He pulled out a yellow legal pad and pen to begin drafting his resignation letter. He was just writing the first sentence when his attention was drawn to a group of young children trying to muffle their laughter as they gathered under a rustic sign claiming the area as Cayla’s Magic Corner. He watched as a small, vibrant woman moved in front of the children and sat down on a simple wooden stool facing them. She rested her forearms on her thighs and leaned close to them. Not saying a word, she gazed intently at each child. Steve could have heard a pin drop. “I am Cayla,” she said softly, enunciating each word as though revealing a great mystery. “And I am a magician.” She told them about an old Indian mystic who taught her the art of mind over matter. To demonstrate, she pulled out two rubber bands, entwined them, and pulled and tugged to show that they could not be separated. Milking the tale for all it was worth, Cayla claimed she could separate the two bands using only the power of her mind—and then she did so. The children roared their approval. It was truly magical. Steve regained his focus and went back to writing his resignation letter, losing track of time. “Did you enjoy the magic?” The voice jolted him out of his deep concentration. Steve looked up and saw Cayla standing beside him. He rose awkwardly and held out his hand. “Sorry, I hope you didn’t mind—it was fun to watch you. You’re a good magician. My name is Steve.” “Mind? Not at all,” the woman said as she returned the handshake. “I was hoping you’d join in. My name is Cayla.” “I like that name.” Cayla smiled. “Thank you. My parents loved the name because it means ‘empowered’ in Hebrew. Maybe that’s where I get my magical powers,” she said with a laugh. Steve gave her a wistful smile. “I remember when I believed in magic. I also remember how disappointed I was when I realized there was no such thing as magic. But don’t get me wrong—I still appreciate the skill behind the tricks.” “You don’t believe in magic,” she said with a sigh. “Too bad, because it looks as though you could use some.” Steve was too startled to reply. He’d had no idea he was that transparent. Cayla pulled a chair over from the adjacent table and sat down, motioning for Steve to sit as well. “Listen,” she said, gazing at Steve with the same intense eye contact she’d given the children earlier. “You are obviously a businessman, yet here you are in this bookstore at midday. You’ve barely touched your coffee and scone. Something is bothering you.” Encouraged by her compassionate smile, Steve told Cayla his sad story, beginning with his excitement and pride at being given his own client after less than two years with the company. “But it wasn’t long before my dream turned into a nightmare,” he explained. “Even in the initial client meetings we struggled to establish an advertising budget. I had developed media and production budgets in the past, but I couldn’t tell the client what was appropriate for them. Nothing in those early meetings confirmed their good first impression of me or the agency—and it went downhill from there. “There was no budget, no goals, and no strategy. I didn’t know how to direct my creative team without an agreed-upon advertising strategy. The client drove me crazy—no one could agree on anything!” Cayla nodded thoughtfully as she listened to Steve pour out his side of the failed client relationship. “What about your creative team? Did they help?” she asked. “Oh, they’re another story. Creative people are worse than spoiled children. I tried to give them direction, but it was like herding cats. When they asked for more specifics, I tried to explain that the client couldn’t agree on a strategy. But it all fell on deaf ears. They just told me that it was my job to figure out what the client wants, even if the client isn’t sure! How am I supposed to do that? Finally, I demanded they come up with something—anything—that I could show the client. So they did.” “I’m afraid to ask …” Cayla’s statement trailed into silence. “That’s why I’m here. It was a fiasco. The client hated it. Heck, I hated it. I knew it was no good, but it was all I had.” Steve was holding his head in his hands as though the burden was too much to contemplate. “I’m sick to death of the whole creative process. I’m not creative, so I have to depend on my team, and they’re totally undependable! It puts me in a no-win situation. How am I supposed to manage the creative process when I’m not creative?” Cayla pressed on. “So what do you do now?” “I’m writing my resignation letter,” Steve said matter-of-factly. “Hmm,” Cayla said thoughtfully, “Quitting?” “Yeah, before I get fired,” Steve responded. “Why don’t you go to your boss for help?” Cayla asked. “It’s too late. What can Rhonda do now? We’re probably going to lose the client—and she’ll blame me, even though it’s not my fault.” “Whose fault is it?” Cayla asked. Steve shook his head, feeling even more betrayed by Rhonda. “Isn’t it obvious? When Rhonda abandoned me, it all fell apart. Now I’ve even lost confidence in the things I used to do well, like budgets, media, and production. I didn’t realize advertising is such a dog-eat-dog world. It’s not like I thought it would be,” Steve lamented. “Just like the magic,” Cayla interjected. “You loved magic when you were na?ve and could suspend your disbelief. But now you are disillusioned by it, because you realize there’s a trick behind the magic.” “I’m not sure there’s any trick behind succeeding in this business. If there is, no one has bothered to show me,” Steve said defiantly. “If you don’t mind me saying so, it sounds as though you’re full of excuses—a poor victim of circumstance.” Cayla’s comment struck Steve as harsh and he replied defensively. “What do you mean, ‘a victim of circumstance’?” “I mean a person who refuses to accept responsibility for the situation he’s in. It’s easier to blame everyone else around you, rather than accepting responsibility for yourself,” Cayla replied without apology. “Hold on. You can’t blame me for what’s happened. Rhonda’s expectations were unfair. I didn’t get the support I needed from her or from the creative team—I could go on and on,” Steve asserted. “So,” continued Cayla, “Rhonda should have known better than to delegate the account to you and give you the freedom to do your job, right?” Steve was a little annoyed—and surprised—at the turn the conversation had taken. Yet in his heart he knew she had a point. Cayla’s eyes filled with empathy and in a soothing voice she said, “Right now you’re feeling confused and unsure. You sense there’s some truth in what I’m saying, but buying into it would mean that you must be the responsible one—not Rhonda, your client, or your temperamental creative team. Somehow that doesn’t feel fair. You’re even feeling a little scared.” Steve stared at Cayla, wondering how this woman could know all that. It was as though she could read his mind. “Let me explain,” Cayla offered before Steve could ask. “I can’t read your mind. As a magician, I’m a master of observation, although right now you’re not all that hard to read.” Cayla looked straight into his eyes. “Steve, years ago I was in a boat very similar to the one you’re sinking in. Fortunately for me, I met a wonderful guy known as the One Minute Manager. What he taught me created such a miraculous change in my life that I call it magic. I’d like to pass that magic on to you.” “Magic?” Steve asked incredulously. “I think I need more than smoke and mirrors to deal with this mess!” “It isn’t in smoke and mirrors,” Cayla said flatly. “The magic comes from self leadership.” Steve was quick to reply. “Leadership might work for the One Minute Manager, but I’m not a manager—let alone a famous one. I’m a lowly account executive with a manager who doesn’t support me—not when it counts.” Cayla lifted an eyebrow. “That’s how it looks from where you’re sitting now—which is on the pity pot.” She smiled as she said it, and Steve couldn’t suppress a chuckle. “You have to turn the problem upside-down,” Cayla continued, “so that you’re the one on top. It’s time to stop looking for excuses and start proactively leading yourself.” “Thanks for the pep talk, but I don’t believe in pop psychology or magic bullets,” Steve said glumly. “I need you to suspend your disbelief, as you did when you were a child watching magic and believing. I need you to believe in the magic of self leadership,” Cayla said. Steve half-grinned as he asked, “All right, what’s the trick?” “Actually, there are three tricks. I’ll share them with you when you are ready.” “How do I know when I’m ready?” “You are ready for self leadership when you accept responsibility for your own success.” “You mean I have to stop blaming Rhonda, my creative team, and the client and look in the mirror at what I did or didn’t do to succeed?” “Yes,” she replied. “You need to stop thinking of empowerment as a four-letter word and realize that it is a grand opportunity. You need to start taking the lead to get what you need.” There was a long pause as Steve pondered Cayla’s challenge. Finally, he said in a soft voice, “I think I get it. Rhonda empowered me to do a job, and I failed to take the initiative and responsibility for succeeding in it. I played the role of a victim. The problem with being empowered is that when things go wrong, you have no excuses. There’s no one to blame but yourself.” “Here’s the truth of it: There’s only power in empowerment if you are a self leader.” Cayla waited for Steve’s eye contact. “Remember: “Empowerment is something someone gives you. Self leadership is what you do to make it work.” “I obviously failed the self leadership test. But I can’t afford for my r?sum? to reflect that I was fired—even if I deserve it. I’ve got my resignation letter almost finished. I need to get it to Rhonda before she gets back from her trip,” Steve declared. “Whoa!” Cayla held up her hand. “There you go again with the pity party! What happened to self leadership?” “That’s what I’m doing,” Steve argued. “I’m taking the initiative and quitting!” Cayla shook her head and laughed. “There are times when quitting is appropriate, but this isn’t one of them. Why are you so convinced you don’t have a chance? No one has actually warned you, have they?” “No, but I know what she will think,” Steve said defiantly. “Steve, is this statement true or false? ‘People are not mind readers, so it is unfair to expect them to know what you are thinking.’” “True, with you being the possible exception,” Steve said with a smile. Cayla smiled back. “So if Rhonda can’t possibly know what you are thinking, how are you so sure you know what she is thinking?” “You have a point,” he said. “What about this statement? ‘It is in my own best interest to take responsibility for getting what I need to succeed in my job.’” “I guess the responsibility is mine,” Steve agreed hesitantly, “but I’m not sure what to do.” “Follow me,” Cayla said. People Are Not Mind Readers (#u9a956a85-c04b-513a-ba34-d293278bb12c) Steve followed Cayla to the back of the store and saw her slip through a door with a small nameplate bearing her name. When he reached the doorway of Cayla’s office, he stood transfixed. Inside was a forest of shelves, boxes, barrels, trunks, and cabinets stuffed with magic paraphernalia. It was an enchanted place, not because of the things in it, but because of the feeling he got when he entered the room. Cayla went over to an old, oak filing cabinet labeled “Magic of Proactive Self Leadership.” She opened the top drawer, rifled through files, and pulled out a sheet as she exclaimed, “Abracadabra!” Steve laughed despite himself, caught up in Cayla’s joy of finding a single piece of paper. “Your homework for this afternoon,” she said, handing him the sheet. Instructions: Rank the following workplace motivators according to their importance to you. Place the ranking (one through ten) beside the motivator with one being most important, through ten being the least. Interesting work Full appreciation of work done Feeling of being “in” on things Job security Good wages Promotion and growth within the organization Good working conditions Personal loyalty to employees Sympathetic help with personal problems Tactful disciplining “After you’ve ranked the motivators, then ask at least five of your coworkers for their rankings. Bring it all back to me tomorrow and tell me what you learned.” “Is this a trick?” Steve asked skeptically. “It’s the beginning of one!” Cayla said enthusiastically. “What you learn from this assignment will reinforce what you learned today and introduce you to the first trick of being a self leader.” “Okay, I’ll go along with this for now—but I’m not saying I won’t quit. I have until my boss gets back at the end of the month to make up my mind.” Saying the words filled Steve with foreboding. He had never left a job under negative circumstances. “If you don’t mind me asking, what’s in this for you?” Cayla smiled. “Remember the One Minute Manager guy I told you about? After he got me out of my mess, I asked him how I could repay him for all his insight and help. He told me that the one thing I could do was pass on the learning to others. “Besides,” she continued with a wink, “my life purpose is to be a magician. You are giving me an opportunity to do magic.” “I guess I could use a little magic right now,” Steve admitted. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” Steve arrived back at the agency and ducked into his office when one of his team members happened by. He knew he’d have to face his failure tomorrow at the scheduled meeting, but he wasn’t ready to talk about it just yet. Using his printer, he scanned the sheet Cayla had given him and e-mailed the electronic version to five coworkers: Rhonda’s assistant, Phyllis; a young account executive named Grant; his buddy in the mailroom, Mike; his favorite tech, Skye; and Ricardo, the senior partner on his floor. The e-mail went out with the following message: I need your help for a study I’m conducting. Could you take a few moments to fill out this survey and drop it by my desk on your way out today? It’s “homework” I have to turn in tomorrow. Thanks, Steve He then took a couple of minutes to rank his own sheet. Just before the end of the day, Phyllis dropped by his office. “I finished your survey,” she said. “It’s very intriguing. I’ll be interested to hear what you learn when your study is complete.” Before Steve could respond, Grant popped his head in. Handing his survey back to Steve, he said, “No offense, but I don’t see how this study is going to prove anything. I mean, it’s pretty obvious that interesting work is what really motivates people.” “Actually, job security is what’s important to me,” said Phyllis. “No way!” said Skye, who had overheard the conversation as she entered Steve’s office. “It’s all about good working conditions!” Mike arrived moments later and argued that having his work appreciated was what motivated him most. The group began a raging debate over the most important motivators. Each had their own rationale for their ranking. As the noise level escalated, Ricardo came out of his office to investigate. “What’s going on?” he asked. “It’s about the survey I sent you earlier today,” Steve said, handing him a copy. The Madison Avenue-dressed exec glanced at the list and said, “Oh, that. It’s pretty obvious that people are motivated by good wages. All of you have asked for more money in the past, so I assume that’s what motivates you.” The group stood in quiet surprise. None of them had mentioned good wages in their top three choices. As people shared their top motivators with Ricardo, his mouth dropped open. “I can’t believe I’ve worked with this team for years without knowing what’s really important to you.” Steve said, “That’s the point of this exercise! Each of us has different things that motivate us. Grant’s creativity demands interesting work. Phyllis values security, probably because she’s raising a young family. Plus, what motivates you today may change tomorrow.” Steve looked at the mailroom clerk. “For example, when Mike’s kids get older and he’s thinking about sending them to college, good wages may go to the top of his list.” “Okay,” Grant allowed, “maybe different things motivate each of us. Is that the point?” Steve thought about his discussions with Cayla. She’d said this survey would reinforce what he’d learned earlier and lead to the first trick of self leadership. Suddenly, the dots connected in Steve’s mind. “The point is, our bosses are not mind readers!” he exclaimed. “How in the world can we expect them to understand what motivates each of us? It’s not fair to them—or to us.” Feeling true excitement about his insight, Steve looked at each of his colleagues one by one and declared: “Ultimately, it’s in your own best interest to accept responsibility for getting what you need to succeed in the workplace.” Elephant Thinking (#ulink_dae7b429-5d6f-5c6b-84e0-e00be3d5107f) The next morning Steve pulled up to Cayla’s Caf? and parked in a spot just outside the storefront. A little chime rang as he entered the door—a melodious signal to the clerks that someone might need their help. As he ordered his mocha, he heard someone whistling across the room. It was Cayla, who motioned for him to join her. Steve grabbed his mug and moved toward Cayla. She disappeared behind a bookcase, but he followed the whistling and found her digging through a desk in her little office. “So,” she began without looking up, “how did the assignment go?” She continued to search the drawer. “I did the survey, and I think it underscored what you said yesterday about people not being mind readers. I’m not sure where it’s leading, but it taught me something.” “What did you learn from the survey?” Cayla asked as she pulled a pair of scissors from a tangle of rubber bands and paperclips. “It wasn’t so much the survey, but the discussion it generated. It became obvious that no boss can know and provide the motivation that every individual needs. Each of us has a different motivation for doing what we do, so it is up to us to take initiative for creating a professional environment that works for us,” Steve concluded confidently. “Well done,” Cayla said with a smile. “You have proved ready to accept the responsibility of self leadership. It’s time to learn the first trick of a self leader.” Cayla picked up her scissors and led Steve to a table nestled among the bookshelves. “What other insights did you have about being a self leader?” “I don’t know if this will make sense, because I usually need time to process things,” Steve said. “Go ahead,” Cayla encouraged. “It has to do with my whole way of thinking about the workplace—things I have believed since I started working, even as a kid. Up until yesterday, I thought my boss should know what I need and give it to me. But that’s not how it works. I wonder what else I have wrong.” “Do you have a business card?” Cayla asked. “Sure,” Steve said. He pulled a card from his briefcase and handed it to her. “I apologize. I should have given one to you yesterday.” “It’s not for me—it’s for you. It’s a challenge.” Cayla held the standard-size business card in both hands, turning it over several times as though to be sure there was nothing abnormal about it. She slid the scissors in Steve’s direction and ceremoniously laid the business card down on the table. “Take these scissors and cut a hole from the card large enough to go around your head. By the way, a hole is a space surrounded by continuous paper—no gaps or breaks, or joining ends.” Steve looked at her as though she were crazy. Cayla sat silently, waiting. “I know you said you were going to teach me some magic, but I don’t have time for games, Cayla. My job is in jeopardy.” Cayla replied, “I know you think you don’t have time for this. You can’t imagine how it could be useful or relevant and besides, it’s just a trick, right?” “Now that you mention it, I hate parlor tricks—I’ve never been any good at them. I’ve lost more money in bars than you can imagine. Some people just have a knack for this kind of thing—I don’t.” Cayla nodded. “Elephant thinking.” “Excuse me?” “You’ve limited yourself based on your past experiences,” she said. “When they begin to train an elephant, they chain the baby elephant’s leg to a pole in the ground. The baby elephant wants to get away. He pulls and tugs, but he can’t escape—the chain is too big and the pole is too deep in the ground. So he stops trying. As he grows up, he just assumes he can’t get away. “Today he’s a six-ton elephant. He could sneeze and pull out that chain—but he doesn’t even try. Trainers say they can put a piece of string around that six-ton elephant’s leg and he won’t break away.” “So you’re saying I’m like that elephant?” Steve frowned. “That because I’ve failed in the past I don’t even try anymore?” Hearing the words out loud, he realized there was some truth in what he was saying. Cayla smiled. “You have just tapped into the first trick of a self leader.” Steve perked up. “Really?” “Yes. It’s those kinds of assumptions that limit you every day. They’re called assumed constraints.” “What’s a consumed restraint?” Steve asked. She laughed at his mangled terminology, then clarified: “An assumed constraint is a belief that limits your experience.” “Okay, I understand that I have assumed constraints about this scissors-and-card trick, but what’s that got to do with my work situation?” Steve asked. “You are assuming you know what Rhonda, your team, and your client think and feel. You are assuming you can’t be successful in your role at work. You need to knock it off.” “This is depressing,” Steve said. “It could be inspirational,” Cayla countered. “Too bad I don’t have your powers of observation. Then I’d know what everybody is thinking and I wouldn’t jump to assumed constraints so often,” Steve said. “Being able to read people is a gift—but the greater gift is to know your own mind.” Steve winced. “Yeah. That’s a definite challenge.” Конец ознакомительного фрагмента. Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес». Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию (https://www.litres.ru/ken-blanchard/self-leadership-and-the-one-minute-manager-gain-the-mindset/?lfrom=688855901) на ЛитРес. Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.