I heard an excellent quote that’s worth repeating:
“I have no doubt you’ll be successful. But will it be meaningful?”
Seth Godin quoted it to conclude one of his presentations. I don’t recall who said it first.
This hit me where I’m at today. It’s the question of doing things right vs. doing the right things.
I think it’s Stephen Covey who explains this as the difference between managers and leaders. Managers get really good at doing things right. That’s their focus, the process, making the process efficient, doing it right.
Leaders, on the other hand, get really good at doing the right things. Their job is to point the effort at the right projects, to be effective.
I’ve been stuck as a manager lately. At work in particular, I feel like I’ve gotten good at doing things right, or at least that’s been my focus.
I need to take a step back – like a lot of us, I’d imagine – and make sure I’m doing the right things.
All the achievement in the world is meaningless if it’s aimed in the wrong direction.
