Field notes
Field Notes
Our daily Field Notes email is just the kind of jumpstart you need. A fast read. Maybe less than a minute. Because sometimes it just takes one insight to change the trajectory of the day.
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Leaders naturally single out those team members whose contributions stand out. Those who take charge, operate with initiative, and drive assignments forward get the bulk of the praise and recognition from leaders. It only makes sense to focus on those out in front and who make things go. But great leaders don’t forget about the team members who operate in the background.
Leaders and teams sometimes produce some amazingly great content. For instance, a video that perfectly captures the vision, an essay on how AI will impact the team, or an Instagram post and photo describing the impact of music on well-being. The content is typically shared, receives rave reviews, and then is filed away, erased, or discarded. Occasionally, the content is uploaded to YouTube, an internal Teams, or intranet channel so that those with an appetite might find it in the future. Smart leaders reject the standard approach.
Third places offer an environment where you can shift out of execution mode and immediate pressures, where you can see challenges more clearly. The most admired leaders make these spaces non-negotiable because they know their effectiveness depends on having room for reflection and renewal. Without this, leaders often remain trapped in reactive thinking, missing the strategic insights that come from stepping back.
Where is your third place? If you can't immediately answer that question, it might be time to find one.
Purpose can be more elusive than many think. We begin with absolute clarity about why we do what we do. Our purpose feels like a compass, pointing true north in every decision.Then life happens. Day by day, the urgent crowds out the important. Meetings fill our calendar. Emails flood our inbox. Fires need fighting. Slowly but surely, we drift from our purpose - not because we forget it, but because we stop checking for it. Here's what the most effective performers in the world recognize: No one drifts toward their purpose, only away from it. Like a ship at sea, staying on course requires constant correction.