Leading by Example

I don't post here so often anymore, as somehow much of my development seems to be stuck somewhere inside of me. Not sure if this year I can really point to the path of development I am on. I am sure, however, that I am learning a lot. There is something extremely tangibly about combining strategic potential with day-to-day living.

On AIESEC International, in theory, you can do anything. The question I always ask when confronted about one thing or another is: "If you were in my place, what would you do?"

I think this is one of the most powerful and empowering questions in the world. At the same time it is a really hard question to ask people, as it disarms them completely. But I truly wonder, tonight, as I am talking to my roommate D. what that VP F in the parallel universe across the galaxy is doing tonight. To myself, the disarming question has become, "What would he do?:"

My self image is that he is currently doing better than me. That his leadership is stronger, that he is performing better. I guess that comes from high ambitions - or perhaps just poor self assessment. Right now I am pushing a lot - pushing myself to "perform". But what does performance right now look like?

I have already laid down some main building blocks and goals in my life for the next 2-3 years, which is very interesting. Never before have I been so certain and decided on my immediate future is . Yet, doubts always creep in. Are the choices right? Am I seeing the full picture? Am I judging too much? Assessing the right things?

This path to leadership is long. Longer than I initially thought, I guess. I always described leadership as a journey, and I guess that is what it is. It means you need to have both a map and a compass. If you don't know where you are going, it's certain you won't get there.

I choose to look to Robert Frost again:


Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.