Doing What Matters

I recently read a book by James Kilts titled “Doing What Matters” and once again I was moved by some of the seemingly simple principles Kilts suggests offer success in the business world. These ideas are nothing new, in fact they are so simple that most of probably forget them, or gloss over their importance. For Kilts making a difference can be obtained through intellectual integrity, generating emotional engagement and enthusiasm for your product/brand/company, providing action, and understanding the right things by examining them through the proper lens. While arguably all of these are critical to running successful companies the one that struck me the most was the idea of intellectual integrity.
As Kilts says, “nothing gets done when you try to do too much. You either whirl around in circles or slump into a paralysis when facing endless options simultaneously…. People trying to make themselves and their companies all things to all people” When I think about this I think how many of us get stuck in this constant downward spiral of obligations and commitments? We overload ourselves to the point where we make no real contribution to anything, nor do we really learn or gain insight because we are spread too thin. It seems to me it would be better to take on an active role in a handful of activities and have a real, tangible, and most importantly, valuable, contribution than to be a participant of many things. After all isn’t this the main point of leadership and being a leader. Put simply, I cannot maintain a profound leadership role in all activities I choose to participate in (both personally and professionally) if I am so overloaded that I am extended thin. I know in life it is hard to choose what you can and what you can’t do, but the bottom line is this, we are human, and we just can’t do everything. And when we try to do everything, we over extend ourselves, we limit our contributions, we hinder our growth, and more than likely we don’t keep our promises.
This concept flows in nicely to the idea of making promises we can’t keep. In the business world, as Kilts explains, it is as simple as promising earnings you just can’t generate. How often in business and in our personal lives do we make promises we can’t keep? How often do we fall victim of others making promises that they can’t keep? When I think about the fundamental values that drive me both personally and professional, trust, honesty, and integrity, this concept hits at the root of those principles. Do I do the things that I say I am going to do? Do I deliver on the promises that I can make? I know I am not perfect, and I know that I try to keep my word. I believe that trust (both trusting and being trustworthy) are the heart of strong relationships, and in the professional world (as well as my personal life) developing relationships with strong roots is the key to success. So how in a world that is consumed with ever increasing results do I maintain my values, how do I keep integrity, honesty, loyalty, and trust at the heart of business? For me I start with myself. I believe that if I uphold and demonstrate these values on a daily basis then I am displaying the right kind of leadership. Beyond that I must analyze the character of those around me and seek to find a team that is as focused on integrity as I am. In today’s world this seems like a daunting task, but there are good people out there, and chances are, the more I focus on my values, the more likely people with similar values will surround themselves with me.