Thanks for being a key part of the team that launched my book a little over a decade ago. I learned this lesson then and have seen it to be true since then.
When I look at my own life, I realize that certain individuals helped keep me afloat during tough times. I might add that a failure is also a collaborative effort. I think we are getting better at acknowledging the team concept. I think back to 100+ years ago. Women contributed quite a bit to science for instance but didn’t get credit. Even Marie Curie isn’t as acknowledged as she should have been.
Buddhism calls this Dependent Origination. There is always the one who gets the most credit. There is always a sequence of helpers along the way whether the end result is writing a book or producing that apple on the store shelf. Growers, pickers, distributors, truckers, store handlers and management. The apple doesn't just appear on it's own.
I loved this...personally resonates and articulates what I have learned writing a novel--quite different to my life as a CEO--but that "ego obliteration" helped me be a better "leader" (which for me meant understanding that it really was never about "me" in the first place.) I particularly loved this paragraph:
"I say all this to illustrate a point, and perhaps, offer a confession. To create anything, especially a book, you must know what you are signing up for: not a series of lightning-strike inspirations but an arduous march into ego obliteration. If you are fortunate, you will have a necessary corps of collaborators to help you endure the otherwise-impossible journey. Without them, you will likely get lost in the weeds of your own arrogance and fail to produce anything worthwhile. Or if you do, you’ll be deluded into thinking you did it all by yourself. Which is just as bad—because success is only sweet when shared with others."
Thanks for being a key part of the team that launched my book a little over a decade ago. I learned this lesson then and have seen it to be true since then.
You bet. That was where I first learned it.
Congratulations to you and your team on the launch, Jeff. A team celebration sure beats a solo one!
Thanks, Michael! Looking forware to teaming up with you at some point on something cool. :)
When I look at my own life, I realize that certain individuals helped keep me afloat during tough times. I might add that a failure is also a collaborative effort. I think we are getting better at acknowledging the team concept. I think back to 100+ years ago. Women contributed quite a bit to science for instance but didn’t get credit. Even Marie Curie isn’t as acknowledged as she should have been.
Indeed. Thank you for sharing, Tim.
Buddhism calls this Dependent Origination. There is always the one who gets the most credit. There is always a sequence of helpers along the way whether the end result is writing a book or producing that apple on the store shelf. Growers, pickers, distributors, truckers, store handlers and management. The apple doesn't just appear on it's own.
Fascinating!
I loved this...personally resonates and articulates what I have learned writing a novel--quite different to my life as a CEO--but that "ego obliteration" helped me be a better "leader" (which for me meant understanding that it really was never about "me" in the first place.) I particularly loved this paragraph:
"I say all this to illustrate a point, and perhaps, offer a confession. To create anything, especially a book, you must know what you are signing up for: not a series of lightning-strike inspirations but an arduous march into ego obliteration. If you are fortunate, you will have a necessary corps of collaborators to help you endure the otherwise-impossible journey. Without them, you will likely get lost in the weeds of your own arrogance and fail to produce anything worthwhile. Or if you do, you’ll be deluded into thinking you did it all by yourself. Which is just as bad—because success is only sweet when shared with others."
Thanks for reading, Diana!