I am traveling a lot these days. And with travel come long hours in airports and sometimes airline lounges. And pretty much every time I find myself in one of those, working away (or just zoning out), I inevitably overhear someone talking loudly on the phone. You can tell within seconds that it is a “business call”. Words such as “strategic relevance”, “cross-reference” or “best practice” get tossed around. Clients get called names in a testosterone-fueled debate. And laughing ensues when the subject of firing someone comes up.
It is idiotic.
The best leaders (who happen to also be the most successful ones) are the ones who express themselves concisely and clearly. Who spend their time doing the work and not just talking about it. Who treat others with respect — all the time and not just when they are in front of them.
Be one of them.