TRIUMPH

'Accept the challenges so you may feel the exhilaration of victory.'  

- George S. Patton  

The feeling of winning can be the most addictive and rewarding feeling a person can experience – but the root of meaningful victory is the embrace of difficulty.  Winning when things are easy carries little of the reward of winning amidst adversity – so chase the hard things, as overcoming them will carry greater triumph.

'The key is not the will to win.  Everybody has that.  It is the will to prepare to win that is important.'  

- Bobby Knight  

Few victories start out with easy activities, and few people can see the preparation, diligence, hard work, and dedication that fueled the victor.  Being willing to doggedly pursue the often mundane or discouraging work that is necessary to drive the eventuality of achievement – that is the mark of a true winner.

'Once you say you’re going to settle for second, that’s what happens to you in life.'  

- John F. Kennedy  

Choosing to forgo victory is not a one-time choice; it is a realignment of priority that creates inevitability.  As a leader, I will never settle for ‘good enough’ or second-best – it is the rapacious hunger for winning that defines my team's culture. 

'Be thankful for problems.  If they were less difficult, someone with less ability might have your job.'  

- Jim Lovell  

Each of us is in our role for a reason.  I was selected because I have the ability and the mentality to contribute to the team's shared triumph.  I have selected my teammates for the same reasons and will remember they’re counting on me, too.  That it’s hard is why I'm here – and why I was chosen.

'Earn the right to be proud and confident.'  

- John Wooden  

Nobody respects or likes the preening individual who calls attention to the wins they have not yet achieved.  Modesty – especially amidst great triumph – is the greatest demonstrator of integrity imaginable.  I will be a leader who underpromises and overdelivers, and whose pride and confidence is the reflection not of what will someday come, but of victories my team has achieved.

'There is at least one point in the history of any company when you have to change dramatically to rise to the next level of performance.  Miss that moment – and you start to decline.'  

- Andy Grove  

It’s often cited that ‘what got us here won’t get us there,’ and while this is true, what got us here won’t keep us here either.  Triumph is a byproduct of relentless improvement and of constant self-reflection.  I will endeavor to be a leader of individuals who sprint toward that necessary change, recognize its scope, and seek to become better versions of ourselves in the service of shared victory for the team.

'Bad news isn’t wine.  It doesn’t improve with age.'  

- Colin Powell  

The surest way to prevent victory is to refuse to daylight the issues we observe – a lack of feedback and transparency will doom any team to perpetual and repetitive failure and mediocrity.  Conversely, daylighting issues with alacrity and urgency fuels a culture of growth and a path to triumph.  I will be a leader who creates a culture which recognizes the value of radical candor, shares good and bad news in a timely manner, and embraces shared triumph.

'Predicting rain doesn’t count.  Building arks does.'  

- Warren Buffett  

Victory isn’t a product of knowing the right answer – it requires action to achieve success.  The triumphs of my team – and our pride in them – will not be reflective of sitting on the sidelines offering insight, but of being those ‘in the arena’ who deliver results.

'People think that at the top there isn’t much room.  They tend to think of it as an Everest.  My message is that there is tons of room at the top.' 

- Margaret Thatcher  

I will always seek to create win-win results for my team, my customers, and my business, and will avoid a zero-sum mentality to my activities.  Growing the size of the pie is always a better approach than squabbling over the size of the slice, and my efforts will reflect this priority for mutual success.

'Mediocre people don’t like high achievers, and high achievers don’t like mediocre people.'  

- Nick Saban  

Many spend their energy tearing down those who are high achievers – this usually sounds and feels like gossip.  Avoid gossip at all costs, as it is inextricably linked to mediocrity.  I will strive to lead a team comprised of high achievers, intolerant of mediocrity, and whose rejection of gossip is a daily reminder of their commitment to triumphant achievement

'When I’m ready to fight, my opponent has a better chance of surviving a forest fire wearing gasoline drawers.'  

- Mr. T  

The greatest path to ensuring victory is to show up, go all out, and possess a confidence and drive unmatched by others.  I take pride in my – and my team’s – intensity, our shared commitment to results, and the degree to which that vigor cannot be stopped.