In Awe of Hampton

CeCe has become fast friends with our neighbor Hampton, who is five going on 21.  He loves to sneak over or drag his mother over to visit with CeCe.  It probably doesn’t hurt that CeCe always has some special treats, as she loves to share with the grandkids when they visit. Hampton now has his own stash of treats, too. As he unhappily exited last week, “I could eat here every night!”

He is a master negotiator. He now has CeCe and his mother, Michelle, regularly playing games — his favorite activity. This is one smart kid, and I love watching him compete. 

Hampton can go from happy to sad in one second flat. He can quickly flip from negotiator to competitor to learn with each changing situation. His natural ability to be adaptable, his curiosity, and his high energy are things I am very envious of.    

This reminds me of the many wonderful leadership lessons from kids that John O’Leary shared in his book In Awe.  As we mature and get “busy,” we lose our natural ability to be adaptable and our curiosity seems to dim. 

The great news is when we practice these things, when we use discipline to ask questions, our skills and abilities respond and we can make these strengths. We need them. We live in an exponential world where things are moving faster and faster. The only thing that has been incremental is the loss of these valuable skills that we need to thrive. So let’s take Hampton’s lead and practice our ability to adapt, to seek new learning opportunities, and, when we are down, move forward with a better attitude quickly. 

Try playing a game with the kids or grandkids to see what you learn from their behavior.  You might be surprised. 

Me:  Okay, where are the Ruffles, I need a snack.

CeCe:  Hampton ate all of them yesterday……

“If you were to anticipate how strong a company’s culture needs to be to transform and thrive in the future, Joey Havens paints a beautiful horizon in his book Leading with Significance.”  Daniel Burrus  

Grab your copy of Leading with Significance to find more magnetic insights to help you on your unique journey. 

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