Leadership from a different perspective – Chris Stanley

Naked Leader Week – 248 – Monday 10 March 2008

Leadership from a different perspective – Chris Stanley

There isn’t one

At the end of events, I sometimes do a “Magic Minute” – people ask any question, written on a piece of paper, anonymously, and I have just one minute to answer. After they have written it, I apologise, telling them I forgot to mention that they, too, will answer it.

Sometimes, of course, people select their own question to answer!

This happened on Friday – one of the attendees, Chris, had written his question on completely different paper to everyone else – needless to say, we made sure he answered his own question, last.

Just before I unfolded the paper to read out the question, another delegate said:

“Why don’t you give the answer – and we will have a go at guessing the question?”

Brilliant idea!

And so, he (Chris) sat there and said

“There isn’t one”

Everyone had one go at suggesting the question, including:

“What’s the shelf-life for this stuff?”

“What’s the big secret?”

“What’s the biggest barrier?”

I then unfolded the paper and read Chris’s own question

“What’s the Catch?”

Yes, I know the answer did not last a minute (it actually lasted three seconds) – what an answer, though!

All I added was this – “there isn’t one, unless you choose there to be”

As I wrote at the end of The Naked Leader Experience, Choice 22

“So, you can stop searching for the magic, the miracle, and the magnificent in life:

 You’ve found it. You are it. And now, right now, you decide:

 “Life’s a bitch and then you die”

 Or

 “Life’s a wonder, and now you live”

Thank you Chris

David

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