Find A Fellow Traveler
“We have to go out to a really nice place for lunch…with good wine…to celebrate Number 100.” The email that began this way arrived a few weeks ago. I responded with a resounding “yes”.
Most of what I do is big picture things. As the Benari homepage says:
Strategic Vision
Global Experience and Perspective
Practical Solutions
Realize Your Vision
But every Tuesday, I do something special…for my readers and myself. I send out a message about something relevant and helpful to those of you who lead organizations, manage others, and struggle to fight through the myriad of things working against you as you build a successful organization and company that realizes your vision. It’s a sobering task. It brings me back to earth.
This post is number 358. I have written and posted a missive about something on leadership, management, or business in general every single Tuesday for 358 weeks!
I push myself to do this. No matter what’s going on around me. No matter how much travel I’m doing. No matter where I am. No matter how hard it is to come up with an interesting idea and turn it into something good enough to share.
Occasionally it flows easily, and is an immediately uplifting experience. But mostly it’s hard work that gets tougher as the deadline gets closer. The more difficult I find it to write a post, the more I fret and make the people around me crazy
It’s forced me to be tenacious and persistent. It’s forced me to follow through and edit and edit again until it’s right. It’s forced me to concentrate on details, instead of the big picture.
Exactly 100 posts ago, I did something differently. After thinking about it for a few months I accepted an offer from a good friend. Someone I’ve known for many years. Someone I’ve referred to numerous people. Someone I worked with for many months on a book that one day I will finish.
I still feel all the angst and anxiety but now I have a fellow traveler who guides me down the trail to better missives. The quality has improved. I know this because the readership has grown globally as has the number of people reaching out to me.
And so I ask three things of all of you in honor of this 100th…or 358th…post.
First, raise a glass of wine to Anne Dubuisson…writing coach ⋅ editor ⋅ publishing consultant…who undoubtedly was totally embarrassed and probably annoyed with me when she first read this. And yes, she did do her usual exceptional job of making the missive better in spite of this.
Second, let me know if it’s worth it. I’d love to hear what you think about what I’ve written here. And what you think about what normally appears in this space. Post a comment on the blog, or send me an email directly. Share your stories and suggestions for future missives.
Lastly, raise another glass to yourselves. The leaders and managers, strugglers and strivers who go out every day and work to be better than you were the day before while helping those around you become the best they can be. Thank you for reading.
Cheers!
Cheers, Steve! I often forward your weekly post because they are incredibly relevant, meaningful, and provide practical and succinct guidance to my daily work and personal life.
Keep it going for all of us who appreciate it!!
Steve,
Thank you for what you do!! I often share and forward your posts with others that I think would benefit from your posts. I have a file of all your posts since I came aboard and regularly find something in those files that provides guidance to others as well as myself. Keep up the great work and know that it is greatly appreciated. Looking forward to the book in the future.
Ed and Rick, Thank you so much for the kind comments. It is readers such as yourselves that make all the angst and anxiety worthwhile. And now, off I go to work on the next missive. Steve
You always charge my battery, giving me a little spare juice to give to someone else. You’re like the Energizer Bunny of positive energy and good ideas. I’m not managing much of a business enterprise these days, but the stuff you share generally applies to most life situations. Thanks for doing what you do, in your blog and in person.