The First Enemy of Purpose
Meaningful purpose energizes the purposeless status quo into resistance and opposition. It might be passive resistance. It might be active opposition. But the goals are the same.
The goals of resistance and opposition are distraction and failure.
The immature believe everyone should embrace their dream. They’re shocked at adversaries.
Disappointment with those who don’t ‘get it’ demoralizes purpose.
Adversaries:
Adversaries cheer when you fall short and fail.
Antagonists and accusers stand outside the boat yelling:
- You’re not able.
- You don’t matter.
- It won’t work.
- Why bother?
- It’s going to take too long.
- You’re selfish.
- The problem is too big and your solution is too small.
Concern yourself with believers, not detractors.
Ignore those who wish you to fail.
Those who aren’t rowing with you create drag. Those who oppose row against.
Life suckers:
Anyone who intentionally sucks the life out of you contributes to failure. Determine their goal by the impact of their actions, not their smiles and platitudes.
Recognize the difference between critics who row with you and those who row sideways or against.
Ignore anyone who rows in the ‘wrong’ direction.
The first enemy of purpose is distraction:
Distraction by disengaged detractors is the enemy of purpose.
Sideways energy always slows progress and dilutes energy.
Clarify your vision and throw anyone who can’t embrace it out of your boat. Give them a life vest. Ignore their pleas for help.
Meaningful purpose demands cut-throat clarity. Anyone who rows sideways must go.
Meaningful purpose calls you to put all your resources and energy in one boat. Some will think you’re foolish.
Go with true believers. Ignore the rest.
Purpose requires a closed mind. Focus your attention on fulfilling your purpose and close your mind to ‘good’ opportunities.
There are a million good things to do in the world, 999,999 are distractions.
What are the enemies of purpose?
How might leaders defeat the enemies of purpose?
What are the enemies of purpose?
Negativity before they even know the facts. People who don’t listen or pay attention.
How might leaders defeat the enemies of purpose?
Be clear with the picture being illustrated, promote an understanding for the betterment of the group/company/ facility etc. that will evolve when the plan is implemented.
Make sure you have all the facts.
Perhaps list similar events with their results, factful information will tailor factful designs.
Thanks Tim. The quick minded often make up their minds before they hear the whole story. The trouble with snap judgement is sometimes it’s right. Because of this we tend to lean on it too frequently.
Interesting question…how do we slow the quick minded enough for them to be open to new ideas?
Dan,
Don’t invite them :-)?
Seriously, I think make a request to all listen attentively and when complete, give them time to respond, knowing we will listen to their viewpoints as well in a team sense.
Thanks Tim. Approach the team vs. individuals. Brilliant. It gives people time to think. You might even ask one of the thoughtful people to respond first.
Ask everyone to offer one reason against and one reason in favor, might be another approach.
Some times you can get someone to refocus. Turn them around in their chair and they are now rowing the same way with just a slightly and maybe benefited view. You are right if you cant get them to support the team move them out or on. In one year I have lost 1/2 of my new team for that reason.
This really resonates with me as this morning I’m faced with detractors and people rowing any way but forward. I’d be interested to get thoughts on when the barriers to doing something that fulfills a purpose are people you can’t throw out of the boat organizationally, on cross functional teams or subject matter experts that report through others.Unfortunately within company politics, organizational structure, or project responsibility, it’s not as easy as throwing them out and moving forward with only true believers. Do you take a step back to see what their “purpose” is to move the company in a meaningful direction in a way that others also fulfill their purpose, or abandon initiatives that don’t have the backing of believers in the purpose they’re working towards? Do these thoughts only apply to ways that we fulfill our personal purpose that we’re able to fully control and go with other similar purposed people? No easy answers I’m sure, but I’d be interested in your’ perspective!
The first enemy of meaning purpose,
before distraction and distrust (those who appear to resist or obstruct),
is Nonsense.
If your stated purpose has a deviation between these two criteria, then its articulation is nonsense:
1. Quit bono? Who benefits?
2. Who pays?
If they are not substantially the same, then the purpose is necessarily suspect, and most reactionary responses will be increasingly nonsensical,
creating a tautology (circular argument) that will get unpersuasive, and will require increasingly manipulative/coercive tactics to succeed… usually 180 degrees in opposition to the original objective.
One only has to think
of Steve Jobs’ 1984 ad introducing the Mac (against unthinking conformity) and
his intro of the now ubiquitous “smartphone” (too easy [addictively] not to think for yourself)
to see that he “led” us to a point opposite of what he proposed.
Or Google’s “do no evil” while we volunteer to the suvellience state, etc.
Now let’s talk about distraction and distrust.
Negative mindset sabotage others as this makes them feel good. They live off other peoples failures and try to sabotage their successes. I think recruitment is key to filtering out the unproductive thinkers from the productive thinkers.