What Do You Care About?

I’m in Orlando with most my team athe American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) International Convention.  Last night, our first night here, we went to B.B. King’s Restuarant and Blues Club.

Of the many cool things in the place (and how can the place not be cool if it has B.B. King’s name attached to it?) each of the tables are painted differently.   When we sat down to eat I notice that, but well our tables were covered with drinks and napkins and later plates.   When I got up I saw open tables, and a major leadership lesson hit me in the face.

In case you can’t read the photo, it says,

“If it ain’t from Memphis . . . then you have to explain to me why I should care.”

Leaders have a focus as clear as that table.   If you wanted to sing the blues, you might have Memphis as your focus.  If you wanted to make great dry ribs, you might have Memphis as your focus.

If it ain’t about Customer Delight . . . then you have to explain why I should care.

If it ain’t about increased productivity . . . then you have to explain why I should care.

If it ain’t about Product X . . . then you have to explain why I should care.

If it ain’t about [insert your goal, mission, current passion]  . . . then you have to explain why I should care.

Some might say when your focus is so narrow you might miss opportunities.  There is a risk there (balance is always a consideration in complex things like life).  However, the biggest achievements, the most successful organizations and people have a single minded focus (and perhaps a little bit of the swagger I hear in the words of my new favorite table too).

If you don’t know what you care about this much, you can’t lead as successfully as you could.   And if you don’t know, your team and organization certainly don’t know.

As we left I saw a second table, with a related message.   The wisdom comes from legendary bluesman Howling Wolf.

“I don’t play anything but the blues – but now I could never make no money on nothin’ but the blues.  That’s why I wasn’t interested in anything else.”

The grammar may not be to your liking, but the message should be.

Where is your focus?

What do you care about?

Get clearer and get better results.

It is what people look to leaders for.  It is your responsiblity.