Over the coming weeks, I’m going to share some wisdom that you missed out on because you weren’t born into my family.
Pressure, Stress, and Hitting It Out of the Park Part 2
Pressure, Stress, and Hitting It Out of the Park
Todd Frazier is the third baseman for the Cincinnati Reds. I’ve known Todd since his first day in professional baseball, way back in 2007. He loves pressure, and rarely allows it to turn into stress. Of all the people I’ve met in my life (and I’ve met a lot), he is the best I’ve ever seen at seeking and handling pressure.
Everything in CEO is Real
Life since CEO began has been a series of firsts. It has been incredible to watch as lives have been transformed in an ever-widening number of communities as CEO has grown.
In about a month, we’ll launch another first; the 1st Annual National CEO Trade Show. Here are the details:
Monday, June 15
4:00-6:30 PM
Keller Convention Center
Effingham, IL
The best businesses from around the CEO network will be featured at the trade show, and I promise you’ll be amazed at the businesses, and especially thrilled with the young people you meet.
Everything in CEO is real, and that means the businesses you see are real. If you haven’t attended a CEO trade show, don’t miss this opportunity to see what all the buzz is about. If you have attended a trade show, come and see what is happening in other communities around the CEO network.
It’s our hope that this show will grow year after year until we see hundreds of young people showcasing their work each summer.
Come and be a part of the very first one!
I’m totally committed (unless…)
I’ve worked with young people for a very long time, and there’s something significant that has changed over the last ten years or so. Okay, there’s a lot that has changed.
One thing, though, that stands out for me as I work with young people around the country is the way we view commitment. For people “of a certain age”, shall we say, commitment is an act. It’s what happens after you say the words that commit you.
Now, though, if someone says to you, “I’ll definitely be there”, you can believe it when you see the whites of their eyes. If they say, “Yeah, I’ll try to make it, for sure”, you know they’re not coming.
Commitment is the following through, the completion of whatever was promised. If one commits to attending an event, the commitment is carried out in the actual attendance.
That, my friends, has changed. For many, many people, commitment is in the words, not the act. “I’ll be there” means, “Sure, I’ll be there…unless something better comes along, or unless I forget, or unless I don’t feel like it, or unless I think of something else.”
See what I mean? Well, excuse me, but that’s not commitment. Words are the opening act, not the closing curtain.
My worry is that too many people, especially young people, can’t tell the difference. They utter the words, and then congratulate themselves for having committed. Not following through is a completely separate event.
It’s rampant in our culture, isn’t it? As I travel the country, one of the most common complaints I hear about younger workers is their approach to commitment.
I’m not sure exactly what caused this change to take place, but it’s easy to change.
Just do what you say you’ll do.