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The Character of The Happy Warrior


Business is war.  Or at the least, war-like.


What are we warring against? 



We battle against...



→ Volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity


→ Competitive & market pressures


→ The urgent-but-unimportant


→ A regression to mediocrity



...and a nearly endless list of dynamics...



→ large & small


→ day-to-day / hour-by-hour / quarter-to-quarter


→ internal & external



...threatening to drain us...



→ individually & organizationally 


→ of vitality, focus, belief, etc


→ of revenue, profit, and predictability


____________



If business IS a war against these things,


what kind of professionals do we need to be...


and need throughout our organization?



hashtag#CEO I worked with once proposed


a company value that made it clear:



▶️ HAPPY WARRIORS ◀️



(It's a reference to a Wordsworth poem)


________________________



Among many things, HAPPY WARRIORS are:



🔹 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗜𝗡 𝗔𝗗𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗬 🔹


Challenge energizes them to persist with fervor.



🔹 𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗦𝗙𝗜𝗘𝗗 𝗕𝗬 𝗘𝗙𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗧 🔹


Enjoying 'the work' itself, not just winning & rewards.



🔹 𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬 🔹


C͟h͟o͟o͟s͟i͟n͟g͟ to see opportunity & possibility all around.



🔹 𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗜𝗡 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 🔹


Surpassing themselves daily, endlessly learning.



🔹 𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗠 𝗜𝗡 𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗦 🔹


Composed under pressure, clear in thought & action.



🔹 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗗 𝗜𝗡 𝗕𝗢𝗟𝗗𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦🔹


Powerful perspectives, with artful tact & influence.



🔹 𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗗 🔹


Fueled by a dedication to 'doing the right thing.'



________________________



I've yet to come across a metaphor 


as succinct yet comprehensive as the 


HAPPY WARRIOR.



________________________



One of this CEO's execs bristled at the phrase.



I suspect it had to do with the 'warrior' bit.



Perhaps it felt like it condoned aggressive brashness.



But the hashtag#HappyWarrior is neither (aggro or brash).



________________________



QUESTIONS:



What say you all?



Do you agree that business is war?



Do you agree we need more Happy Warriors?



Do you appreciate the concept but not the phrase?



What percent of your org are HAPPY WARRIORS?



How will you find (or develop) more?



________________________



If you're a hashtag#CEO or hashtag#CHRO 


and need to nurture a cultural change within your org,


whether HAPPY WARRIORS or otherwise...



▶️ REACH OUT ◀️



and we can have an exploratory chat about


the (X)Form Cultural Transformation engagement.

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