70% is an A
Leading in the real world is nothing like the classroom.
Good morning! Here is what’s on tap for you today:
A bit of encouragement, especially for managers who struggle with perfectionism.
Five short books that pack a punch.
Two references to The Rock.
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But what about…
Bottom Line Up Front: In leadership, you don’t need to be polished or perfect, if you lean into the awkward moments and do what needs to be done, 70% is an A.
Forget Straight A’s—In Leadership, 70% Is Top of the Class
A few weeks ago, I was facilitating a training for new supervisors at a manufacturing facility outside Salt Lake City. We were discussing practical ways to give feedback when one participant raised his hand:
“Okay, I’ve got a scenario. How do you tell someone they have terrible body odor?”
When questions like this come up, I usually toss them back to the group. It’s a good facilitation move. This time, however, I was stalling. In 20+ years of leadership, I’d never faced that situation.
I asked the other participants, “Who’s faced a similar situation?”
After a few moments of awkward silence, I turned the person who asked the question, “Is this a real situation you faced?”
“Yeah.”
“Did you give the feedback?”
“Yeah.”
“Awesome. What did you say?”
He laughed nervously. “I was early in my leadership career, so don’t judge me…”
Then he told the story. And honestly? He crushed it. He treated his coworker with dignity, explained what was at stake, and brainstormed a solution.
The result: no more body odor issues, and the coworker went on to be a valuable member of the team for years.
But what struck me wasn’t his story. It was how he kept minimizing it:
“I was young.”
“I probably could’ve done it better.”
“I know I made mistakes.”
Here’s the truth I wanted him—and the rest of the class—to hear:
He was qualifying his answers because he believed leadership was like school.
In school, to get an A, you needed to score above 90%.
Leadership isn’t like school.
When it comes to leadership, most times, 70% is an A.
Lean Into the Awkward and Uncertain
Leadership isn’t a multiple-choice test. It’s one “one-off” after another—scenarios you’ve never seen before, situations with no playbook, moments where the only option is to lean into the awkward and uncertain.
The participant thought that because he wasn’t polished or confident, it didn’t count as good leadership. He was wrong.
Polish and confidence aren’t the markers of good leadership. Doing what needs to be done and saying what needs to be said, that’s good leadership.
Pete Briscoe put it best: “Leadership is one awkward conversation after another.”
The Real Grade That Matters
Leadership doesn’t happen in a classroom; it happens in the real world. And in the real world, 70% is an A.
So:
Do what needs to be done.
Say what needs to be said.
Don’t back down from the awkward and uncertain.
It doesn’t matter if it’s perfect. It matters that it’s done.
I Read Books So You Don’t Have To…
Some of the most impactful books I’ve ever read were less than 200 pages.
da Vinci was right, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”
Here are five short reads that pack a punch...
1/ The War of Art
→ Steven Pressfield
→ 190 pages
→ 2h 29m (Audible)
→ The kick in the pants you need to get motivated.
2/ Man’s Search for Meaning
→ Victor Frankl
→ 184 pages
→ 5h 43m (Audible) this includes bonus biographical content
→ A wonderful book about finding purpose in any circumstances.
3/ The Mom Test
→ Rob Fitzpatrick
→ 136 pages
→ 3h 50m (Audible)
→ How to get honest feedback on your ideas.
4/ Turning Pro
→ Steven Pressfield
→ 146 pages
→ 2h 04m (Audible)
→ Turning pro is free, but not easy.
5/ The Dream Manager
→ Matthew Kelly
→ 176 pages
→ 3h 47m (Audible)
→ One simple way to improve your team culture.
Finally…
If you had a bad week, just remember, the Houston Astros didn’t make the playoffs this year. See, that makes you smile, right1?
I ate a salad with a spoon the other day. It was not enjoyable, nor do I recommend it. I recommend buying a box of plastic forks to keep in your office.
Is anyone else intrigued by this film? I can’t tell if he’s going to win an Oscar or a Razzie.
Reference #2
Thanks for reading!
-Adam
For those of you I just offended, you can email your complaints to no@playoffs.com.
I’m interested to hear how he actually navigated the BO situation!