3 Secrets That Difference-Makers Already Know

andy murray big quest bigquest business framework leadership blog professional development the quest Dec 28, 2020

No one really doubts that we all want work to be an adventure.

Don’t believe me?

Glance at the greeting cards we give on a colleague’s last day of work before he begins a journey with another company. Or take a look at what we say on LinkedIn when someone changes jobs and starts something new. Here’s a few I found:

“Good luck on your next adventure!”

“Your adventure awaits!”

“We’re thankful for your leadership and commitment. Your next team is lucky to have you on their adventures.”

I used to lead Creative & Marketing at a greeting card company. Core to our craft of writing copy for cards and envisioning the final product was to really understand the human truths about the key moments of life.

What greeting card creatives understand is that we have a heightened level of anticipation and excitement around starting something new and unknown — a journey that is hopefully full of adventure. We’re on a quest to make our mark and do something new!

They’re definitely on to something.

They understand that we start big new things with a feeling of being over-the-moon.

But a funny thing happens on the way to the moon. Challenges are inevitable, and when it comes to professional quests:

We hit speed bumps, barriers and lack of buy-in
We are often confronted with organizational politics
We experience a deep-rooted bias against change and trying something new
Our dream for a great adventure loses its momentum and ends up on the scrap heap of ambition

IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY

There are a few key points that separate those who drive change and create new value propositions and those who lose steam on their way to the moon.

Here are the 3 secrets that successful difference-makers know that set them apart:

They have a different kind of MINDSET toward leading an adventure. They face INTO problems. Actually, they learn to eat problems for breakfast. (Which, by the way, leads to a smorgasbord of ideas by lunch.)
They use simple, grounded METHODS for planning and executing their quest. They know how to simplify, sequence, and tell the right stories.
They know the MOTIVATORS that build buy-in and engage hearts and minds.

These are the secrets that have driven me to create bigQUEST.

HOW TO TURN ADVENTURES INTO LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENTS

Some leadership opportunities represent the chance of a lifetime. When you learn to apply these principles to your adventures, you and your company could end up miles ahead.

No doubt, the path to get there is complex and unknown. You’ll need to start the journey without knowing all the details. But with the right framework, you can outsmart the obstacles.

Launching a bigQUEST within a larger organization? You’ll want to read this article.

During my 35-year career journey, I’ve experienced the thrill of start-ups as a founder, and the complexity of big corporate environments as an executive at places like Procter & Gamble and Wal-Mart. I can say with certainty that there is an abundance of opportunity to take on the kind of adventures that land meaningful change. But there is a scarcity of leaders prepared with the right mindset and methods to lead big initiatives in this new world of uncertainty and complexity.

What’s needed is a leadership approach that creates buy-in and confidence even in the face of massive variables.

What’s needed is an Agile framework that can turn complex challenges into successful outcomes.

bigQUEST is that framework.

With the best mindset, methods, and motivators, your current leadership challenge can turn into an adventure of a lifetime.

Here’s where you begin:

Download the 5 Big Questions that will identify the key components to your adventure.
Work through the 5 Big Question questions with your team. Spend time identifying the customer and determining the unknowns, resisting the quick solution.
Watch the 5-part video series that will get you started on your bigQUEST.

By the way, all of these resources are offered at no cost.

If you’d like to receive customized input that sets you and your team up for success, sign up for a time slot to chat with me and learn more ways to apply the framework to your unique adventure.