Issue No. 358 of Your Weekly Staff Meeting highlights the perfect gift book for graduates, your direct reports and yourself. Or…just watch the 19-minute video—viewed by more than 10 million people! And this reminder: click here to download free resources from the 20 management buckets (core competencies) and click here for my “Book-of-the-Year” picks from 2008 to 2016.
Cadence. Content. Character.
“If you want to change the world…” writes Admiral William H. McRaven (U.S. Navy Retired), “…start off by making your bed.”
“Start Your Day With a Task Completed” is the first chapter of the hot-off-the-press life lessons book from the author’s Navy SEAL training days. He learned the “make your bed” principle in those early days and became Commander of all U.S. Special Operations Forces as a Four-Star Admiral. (OK, that got my attention—along with his stunning 37 years of serving our country.)
Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…and Maybe the World packs a punch at the fast clip of one big punch every 10 short pages. Adm. McRaven’s 10 principles were delivered first as a university commencement address. His speech on May 21, 2014, to the graduating class of the University of Texas at Austin went viral—with over 10 million views!
Watch the 19-minute YouTube video here (and read a transcript of his speech in the back of his book):
Who should read Make Your Bed? Leaders, managers, board members, parents, students, grandkids—everyone should read this.
Here’s why: three “C’s.”
• The cadence of the speech is stunning. Each principle ends with the same tagline, “If you want to change the world…” and then his big idea. Example in Chapter 9: “If you want to change the world, start singing when you’re up to your neck in mud.” (Pastor alert! Here’s your next sermon illustration. Powerful!)
• The content of the speech is (dare I say it) life-changing. If you have kids or grandkids heading off soon to a summer job, or a first year of college—this is a must-read. Chapter 10: “If you want to change the world, don’t ever, ever ring the bell.”
• The character-building insights are memorable. Examples: “You can’t go it alone. Life’s not fair—drive on. Failure can make you stronger.”
So…Three Options:
• Option 1: Read the book (or view the video) for your own encouragement.
• Option 2: Buy the book for your direct reports. Invite team members to share one principle each week for the next 10 weeks.
• Option 3: Give the book as a graduation gift or birthday gift to a student you’re mentoring.
To order from Amazon, click on the title for Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…and Maybe the World, by Admiral William H. McRaven (U.S. Navy Retired).
Your Weekly Staff Meeting Questions:
1) Adm. McRaven advises, “If you want to change the world…find someone to help you paddle.” How effective are we at paddling together versus building silos?
2) Imagine—you’re a Navy SEAL (up-to-your-neck-in-mud during “Hell Week”), per Chapter 9. What song would you sing to encourage your co-workers? (Sing it now!)
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A 19-Minute Hoopla! Event Insights from Mastering the Management Buckets: 20 Critical Competencies for Leading Your Business or Nonprofit
Navy SEALS know something about teamwork and hoopla! So the Hoopla! Bucket, Chapter 10, in Mastering the Management Buckets, challenges teams to “harness the power of hoopla! for celebration, recreation, intentional food and fellowship gatherings, and just plain fun…to show our team members how much they are loved and appreciated!”
So…order the Starbucks unicorn frappuccino and plan a spontaneous 19-minute viewing of Adm. McRaven’s commencement address.
For more resources in the Hoopla! Bucket, visit the webpage.
P.S. Read John’s recent blog on board governance, "The Prospect Pipeline" from his 2017 series on Max De Pree's book, Called to Serve. Plus, the new Murdock Trust Board Program: Book 1 of 2 (194-page workbook), and Book 2 of 2 (178 pages), are both hot-off-the-press, just edited by John.
Your Weekly Staff Meeting is emailed free one to three times a month to subscribers, the frequency of which is based on an algorithm of book length, frequent flyer miles, and client deadlines. We do not accept any form of compensation from authors or publishers for book reviews. As a board member and raving fan of Christian Community Credit Union (a non-profit), we proudly list the credit union as a sponsor at no charge.
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