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A while back I was in a facilitators workshop – a train-the-trainer session.  When it was my turn in the “hot seat” I came to the front of the room and gave my best.  I hit every point.  I checked off everything my exercise was to cover.  But something felt wrong.

After I sat down the group did a critique and I can assure you that this was the most challenging and by far the most valuable part of the entire 3-day program for me.  The other attendees and the session leader were both gentle and brutal with their honesty.  The biggest takeaway from their comments was this (word for word as it was given to me): Don’t be a slave to the agenda.

I had covered everything on the check list, all right, but in doing so I had sacrificed a more valuable conversation that might have resulted in enormous benefit to everyone.

It’s so easy to be devoted to our To-Do list.  The items on that list are important, of course.  But slavish adherence to checking off those items can result in our not being in the moment and we lose the opportunities for our greatest leadership.  And that results in the loss of great followership.

What is most valuable is not at all about completing a list.  It’s about focusing on being right here, right now and maximizing the moment.

It’s true that some things may fall to the wayside.  My promise to you is that you’ll be okay even when they do, as long as you show up right here, right now and focus on what’s most important.

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