Keep your eye on the task, not on yourself.

The task matters, and you are a servant.

Most organizations need somebody who can lead regardless of the weather. What matters is that he or she works on the basic competencies. As the first such basic competence, I would put the willingness, ability, and self-discipline to listen. Listening is not a skill; it is a discipline. Anybody can do it. All you have to do is to keep your mouth shut. The second essential competence is the willingness to communicate, to make yourself understood. That requires infinite patience. The next important competence is not to alibi. Say: “This doesn’t work as well as it should. Let’s take it back and reengineer it.” The ...

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