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As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens the wits of another. Proverbs 27:17
The above proverb was written almost 3000 years ago, which makes it pretty clear that
the idea of improving one's success by associating with others is not a new concept. Throughout
history, successful people have sought to interact with people who will challenge them
to achieve greater things. Sometimes it's collaborating with others to come up with
transformational ideas (like the writing of the US Constitution); other times it's through
competition to help us deliver inspiring performances (the 1980 US Hockey Team). Some classic "think
tanks" that inspire me are Henry Ford's Vagabonds and Theodore Roosevelt's Tennis Cabinet.
Just think of the awesome things that have been done in this world through the coming
together of great minds; things like landing on the moon, splitting the atom, or linking
the globe through telecommunications. Consider, too, how athletes rise to the occasion when
their competition improves. In one of the most grueling endurance races in the world,
the Tour de France, it's said that the Yellow Jersey (awarded to the race leader at the
end of each stage) gives a cyclist wings. That means he competes much harder than he
would otherwise because he wants to keep that Yellow Jersey. This is also one of the reasons
why the Olympics are great to watch, because the best athletes in the world are competing,
which often means that records are going to fall.
The bottom line is that the self-made man or woman exists only in fantasy literature,
but unfortunately that fantasy dooms many businesses to relative mediocrity. They can
only reach the limit of the CEO's leadership and intellectual capacity. Without great peers
to sharpen their wits, they'll continue to default to the patterns of thinking and leading
that brought them to their plateaus.
So let's reject myths and embrace the choice to be great! Throughout my life, I always
sought out the company of people who were more successful than I was. My closest friends
are phenomenal businessmen who are more successful than I am, in many ways. I interview successful
CEOs every month in my Strategic Business Forum, and I've interviewed leadership legends
like GM's Dan Akerson and Alabama Football's Nick Saban. In my work with the Naval Academy
Alumni Association, I have served alongside captains of industry, admirals, generals,
Presidential advisors, astronauts, Heisman Trophy winners, and even America's first man
in space (Alan Shepherd). I have learned an extraordinary amount of wisdom by walking
alongside giants.
What have you been doing to sharpen your wits? I'm excited to announce the launch of my first
ever Strategy Tank, an exclusive Think Tank for the CEOs of small-to-midsize businesses
who are interested in becoming "world-class" CEOs. How this is different from other CEO
groups is:
It's professionally facilitated by me, a full-time strategic adviser who lives and breathes this
stuff, not a moonlighting colleague.
It's focus is on strategy development and execution, not problem solving. There are
lots of great CEO peer-groups out there that focus on solving each other's problems, and
members of these groups have been great clients of mine. The Strategy Tank will follow The
Growth Coach®'s Strategic Mindset® curriculum, which is singularly focused on getting that
business to be scalable (can handle any growth), sustainable (grows without the CEO being involved
in transactions), and valuable (worth a lot of money someday when it's sold).
Are you ready to have your game sharpened through a peer process guided by someone who
spent his life learning from some of the best leaders in the world? If so, I'd like to invite
you to apply to join The Strategy TankTM that kicks off September 20th in the DC metropolitan
area. Size is limited, so apply quickly! All the details are on my website, and the frequently
asked questions (FAQ) section should answer most of your questions. When you're ready
to apply, take this survey first to confirm that you are pre-qualified and then fill out the
application! Feel free to e-mail me with any other questions you have, and I look forward
to working with you!