Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a principle as:
- a moral rule or belief that helps you know what is right and wrong and that influences your actions
- a basic truth or theory : an idea that forms the basis of something
- a law or fact of nature that explains how something works or why something happens
What follows is a journaling of my core aspirational beliefs. These exist, I hope, in my mind and in my practice, however, they are not written down anywhere, that is until now.
I should mention that the spark for this process of principle documentation came from a Seth Godin blog post many years ago where he prompted his readers to think about their own principles.
Writing them down allows me to hold them up for examination. It helps me clarify them under the lens of the written word. Writing them out also allows me to solidify them so that I can come back for reference and refinement and reflection.
While all of these essays are my own, the principles come from many sources – my parents, my wife, my children, my friends and family, my co-workers, and some, yes, are my own observations and beliefs. Many should feel universal, while others could be overly specific and self-reflexive (this is my personal website after all).
Lead, Don’t Manage
Leadership is about looking forward. It's about looking to the future to what is possible. Management, on the other hand, is about looking backwards to the pack, worrying about all the little details, many of which are completely out of your control.
Empathy
To have empathy is a beginning and not an end. It's the start of a conversation, not the finish. And from it can come healing and growth. But damn it's hard.
You Can Only Pick Two
This one comes from my dearly missed mentor in grad school, Norman Hollyn, the author ...
If You Don’t Care, They Won’t Either
If you discard something or show no interest in it, people around you won't either. However, the opposite is luckily true.
Build Legos, Freeform
Lego sets in the "olden day" were freeform. There were no instructions. No movie tie-ins. You just built stuff.
Always Say “Yes” in an Email
If someone wants you to do something and your answer is "yes," put it in an email.
Never Say “No” in an Email
Don't put a "no" response back to some in the written word. There are many, many reasons for this but here are my top ones.
Thoughts Aren’t Real
We "think" that what goes on up in our heads is the be-all and end-all manifestation of our true inner core, or soul, or self. Nope. They are just thoughts.
The Secret to Talking is Listening
The truest form of listening is when you can remove yourself from the act and just focus on what the other person has to say.