I had the pleasure of hearing bestselling Essentialism author Greg McKeown speak at an annual leadership conference my client held during the first week of the year. I’ve always been a fan of his message and the intent of his book. If you haven’t read it and are trying hard to audit your own choices, Essentialism could help. One of my favorite graphics from McKeown’s book is below.
I admire my client for bringing in McKeown because it’s easy to fall prey to saying yes to everything and demanding the same of everyone around you. In spite of all that we know, the “yes mentality” is still rewarded in some workplace cultures.
It’s one thing for the company’s leadership to buy the book for everyone, but it’s next level to create a book club, and a discussion, and to bring in the speaker. My client’s meeting is composed of the top five hundred leaders in a division of approximately nine thousand employees—a practice definitely worth modeling if possible.
McKeown outlined many steps to becoming an Essentialist, and one of the steps is developing the ability and skill to say no, which I talk about in the blog I’ve linked below. I will be a student in this classroom for a lifetime, but I am getting better. Can you challenge yourself to say no once a week to something that doesn’t align with your essential goals and values? What can you do to develop this skill?
If you need a little nudge, read my latest blog that personally frames McKeown’s book: “Want to Avoid Burnout? Design a Better Year with This Quick Audit”
