Lately I have been bitching to EVERYONE who will listen (and even some people who won’t) about how I want FUCKING guidance from the Federal government. I want someone to be in charge. Act like a grown up. And give a single set of clear instructions about how we are going forward.
I have reveled in my complaints. Gathered evidence for my perspective. Felt INCREDIBLY self-righteous. But what I hadn’t done, is practiced the skill my coach (Brooke Castillo) taught me in April of 2007. She calls it “The Manual.” The Manual is the life coaching exercise I do when I want to give someone instructions for how they should behave. In this case that person is Donald Trump.
So this weekend I wrote a manual for Donald Trump. Everything he should be doing. How he should be doing it. When. What. Etc.
Whenever you finish a manual for what someone is doing wrong and show it to Brooke, you know what she says?
She always says this too.
What else you got?
Make it LONGER. Bitch MORE. Get MORE specific.
What PRECISELY can he, or she, or they do BETTER. Make the list.
And once you have made the longest, most detailed, exhaustive list of what they can do…. Go through the manual and switch their name of the person who is annoying you to your name.
How are YOU doing it wrong?
How are YOU not showing up?
How are YOU not leading?
How are YOU not giving clear instructions?
How are YOU failing every one?
And since you can’t change other people ANYWAY – and certainly not the President – Brooke says… Why not just follow those instructions for yourself?
Low and behold, all my bitching about Donald Trump was really pointing me to a blindspot in my OWN leadership.
I made my own manual… for ME!
After years of resisting the daily huddle, this morning we kicked off our first daily all hands meeting. This meeting is a chance for me to give a daily update, clear focused instructions, to support a structure for a work from home schedule, to give everyone a reason to dress up, to allow us to give virtual hugs to each other, and to make sure we are all on the same page.
Everything I wanted from my President, I have the chance to give to my team. It might be 40 people instead of 340 million people, but hey, start where you are.
And I will say it felt exceptionally good to see everyone this morning. I am excited for us to find a rhythm to our daily huddles.
Anyway who is pissing you off the most?
What’s the manual you want to give them for how they should behave?
Write it. And then flip the script on yourself.
You might be surprised about what you find!
