ThingsI’m Learning

Cilantro in my front teeth, an evening where nobody said anything, and what that taught me about asking for the feedback leaders rarely get.

Leading came naturally to me. Learning to follow took more practice, especially at home. A lesson in sharing the lead when one of us needs help.

Darren at the print shop, Jane at the jewelry store, and Arturo at Costa Vida showed me how ordinary work can become extraordinary when it’s done with care.

I was used to moving past difficult emotions quickly. Learning to sit with anger, and explain what I needed to my wife, taught me a different way to move through it.

A tennis lesson from a patient friend, a Lori McKenna lyric, and the bitterness I was carrying after a few bad deals. Keep your eye on the ball.

I stayed dry at a family reunion because the river was 65°F. Later, I wished I’d traded a moment of discomfort for more time in the water with my family.

My little sister answered everything with “Why?” and it drove me crazy. Turns out asking why, over and over, is how I find the root cause of my own habits.

Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton made each other better. What their partnership taught me about knowing my own strengths and finding the right people to work with.

Best friends, birthday cake, and a night at Topgolf. One heck of a combo.

Being good at everything can mean you’re not great at anything. I’m wired that way, like my grandpa, and I’m still learning where my balance is.

Asking lots of questions has turned out to be a pretty good way to live. Asked with real curiosity, a good question can even help someone understand themselves.

Plenty of people don’t know what they want: clients, bosses, sometimes me. Know what you want, say it clearly and often, and plan for the people who don’t.

Collectors display the front of a Michael Jordan rookie card. I always flipped it over for the stats. How that became the Fleer Framework for knowing your team.