Randy Pausch was a professor at Carnegie Mellon University whose “last lecture” about facing terminal cancer was watched by millions on YouTube.  Randy finally succumbed to the decease on July 25th of this year but what he left behind will live on forever.  His words bring meaning to leaders and others facing what may be a long period of challenge.  His lessons were simple yet powerful as follows:

• Always Have Fun
• Dream Big
• Ask for What You Want
• Dare To Take a Risk
• Look for the Best In Everybody
• Make Time for What Matters
• Let Kids Be Themselves¹

Watch Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture

As I mentioned in my , we are in a time of unprecedented change that is creating an undercurrent of fear.  There is a very powerful lesson for approaching such times when you consider how Randy dealt with cancer and death.  So how do Randy’s principle apply to leadership today?

Dream Big
Fundamentally the primary purpose of leadership is to create something of value.   Central to creating value is the ability to dream big -- to have vision. Consider your favorite leaders of all time.  My guess is that they generated something that did not exist before or took something that did and transformed it into something new.  They were not just a leader -- they took us some place new and that journey started with a dream.

“We grow great by dreams. All big men are dreamers. They see things in the soft haze of a spring day or in the red fire of a long winter’s evening. Some of us let these great dreams die, but others nourish and protect them; nurse them through bad days till they bring them to the sunshine and light which comes always to those who sincerely hope that their dreams will come true.”

Woodrow Wilson

Key Questions:

• What personal purpose drives your leadership?
• What do you care most about as a leader?
• Who are you becoming through your leadership?
• Given the answers above -- what do you dare to dream or what is your vision for yourself?

Always Have Fun

I believe if you are not having fun -- it blocks your ability to lead and be fulfilled as a human being.   When you are having fun you are in touch with your passion and passion is what helps us move towards our vision even in the face of difficult circumstances.   In the days and years to come tapping into and using passion is going to become more and more important for those in leadership position.  In addition, when you are in touch with your own passion -- you inspire it in others to do the same.

“When work, commitment, and pleasure all become one and you reach that deep well where passion lives, nothing is impossible.”

Unknown Source

Key questions:

• On your best days, what motivates you the most?
• On your worst days, what most motivates you to keep going?
• As you look at what motivates you most -- how regularly are you experiencing these and what do yo have to do to experience them more?

Dare to Take Risks
This may seem counter intuitive with the unfolding economic situation.  Yet, as I have said before, there are opportunities at times like this.  If you can remain connected to your vision and centered in the storm you will see new opportunities.  Your gut or intuition is key here because you are more likely to take the right risks when you allow both your intuition and intellect to guide you.  Life is too short to completely freeze and not act.

“The most difficult thing in the world is to reveal yourself, to express what you have to.  As an artist, I feel that we must try many things -- but above all we must dare to fail. You must be willing to risk everything to really express it all.”

John Cassavetes

Key Questions:

• Are you achieving and experiencing what is most important to you at the level you would like?
• If not -- what risks must you take to ensure that you will?
• If you are hesitating in taking those risks -- what is holding you back?

Ask for What You Want
In my experience, many leaders expect others to be omniscient or to know without being told what the leader wants. There are other executives who seem unwilling to ask directly for what they want.  If you relate to the first one you are likely frustrated that those around you “don’t seem to get it.”  Bottom line, they can’t read your mind so get over it and start being clear about what you expect and what your measures of success are.  I promise it will make life a lot easier for you.  If you are in the second category -- you are missing a major part of your power -- the ability to make requests.   Ultimately learning to ask for what you want including requesting support is a centerpiece to one’s success and personal fulfillment.

“Everything you want is out there waiting for you to ask. Everything you want also wants you. But you have to take action to get it.”

Jules Renard

Key questions:

• What do you really want and what do you need to achieve that?  If you dig deep and answer this -- you will find areas in which you are not asking for what you want and/or need.  You now have the opportunity to do something about it.
• Given what you you want -- who has the capacity to most support this and what do you need to ask of them?

Look for the Best in Everybody
Some executives manage their team and others by subtly or not so subtly instilling fear.  They feel pushing people in this way keeps them “on the edge” and challenges push harder themselves.  While I admit this strategy generates a certain level of results -- there are major costs involved.  Research not only shows that when you manage people this way you get far less from them -- the research has also validated that you get the most from others when you expect the best from them and empower them to fully manifest their strengths².  In addition, a central competency of leadership is to build other leaders.  Doing so is not only good for the organization -- most leaders who invest the time to coach and mentor others say that it is among the most fulfilling aspects of their job.

“Leadership is based on inspiration, not domination; on cooperation, not intimidation.”

William Arthur Ward

In the end, an executive’s true legacy is not merely the stock value.  Their true legacy resides in the sustainability of what they created and the state of leadership they leave behind to guide the organization forward.

Key Questions:

• How much do you trust your direct reports?
• If you find trust to be low -- what has to happen for you to trust and empower those individuals more?
• What results do you need from them in order to support greater trust?
• Are you willing to have the necessary conversations to strengthen mutual trust?

Make Time for What Matters
In I spoke about the importance of organizing yourself so that you can leverage each moment to focus on what is most important.  The more you understand your vision and dreams, become clear on what motivates you and approach your work with a sense of personal purpose -- the easier it is to maximize each moment and make you a far more productive leader.  Yet, Randy’s point was not made to help people enhance their productivity.  He was looking far more holistically at life.  I see far too many executives who are overwhelmed with work and never feel they have enough time to be with their significant others and children.  Taking care of their physical and emotional needs tends to fall even further down the list.

“You and I want our lives to matter. We want our lives to make a real difference -- to be of genuine consequence in the world. We know that there is no satisfaction in merely going through the motions, even if those motions make us successful.”

Unknown Source

One thing for sure, we will all find ourselves in Randy’s position of leaving this world -- given this the key question here is: What is most important to you in your life and are you making the time for those things?  If not, what are you going to do about it?  If you feel resigned that there is nothing to do about it -- go back and revisit Randy’s principle that says to “Ask for What You Want.”

Let Kids Be Themselves
No I am not leaving this one out and it is very relevant to leaders.  First of all, if you have kids -- think about the most precious time you have had with them.  For me, it is not when I have to tell my kids what to do or “be a parent.”  Yes, those are important roles.  Yet, the times I enjoy most are when I am letting them be kids and I am joining them in that.  We are giggling and feeling that incredible bond.  And sometimes letting them be themselves takes a tremendous amount of patience.  Listening to others points of view and seeking to better understand those points of view is essential to succeeding in leadership.  This takes great patience as well as the ability to be centered in your vision and what you care most about.

Key questions:

• Is impatience and loss of your center an issue for you?
• If so, what does this cost you?
• If the costs are great -- what are you doing to address this?

Randy Pausch has left us a great gift through his words and principles.  He faced far more dire circumstances than losing value in a portfolio or wondering how the economic times will effect us.  The understanding and fortitude he demonstrated makes onw realize we all can face unbelievable obstacles and become better human beings because of them.  We are indebted to his courage and example.

Tags: Personal Engagement, Sharpening Focus

This entry was posted on Saturday, October 25th, 2008 at 1:20 pm and is filed under Personal Engagement. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.