Source: The Stefanie Spielman Fund For Breast Cancer Research at The James
“People say ‘It’s a great thing that you’re doing,’ Chris Spielman said at the time. “I always say it would be a terrible thing if I didn’t.”
While playing linebacker with the Buffalo Bills, Chris decided to give up football for a year to stay home with his wife and children. This quote is from him, when his wife lost her hair because of chemotherapy treatments and he shaved his head.
Stefanie Spielman died at the age of 42, after a lengthy battle with cancer that began when she was only 30. The Spielmans raised more than $6 million for breast cancer research at Ohio State through the Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research.
I believe leadership’s cornerstone measurement is anchored in the positive impact a leader creates in the lives of others. Thus, it’s not how many years a leader lives, but the significance of the leader’s impact, while they’re on this earth.
How many people do you know in their 80’s or older, who just didn’t make much impact over their long lifetime?
As a leader, if given the dichotomous choice: Would you rather make significant impact, such as Stefanie (you’ll need to read her story to appreciate her wide-ranging impact), but only live to be 42; or, make 1/100th the impact and live to be 92? Interesting choice!
In selecting the content for this blog, I recall Stefanie standing in the pew directly in front of me, looking like a picture of health, although she’d been diagnosed with cancer years earlier. We were attending the funeral services for a friend and a member of Stefanie’s cancer support group, who had just passed while only living into her mid-30’s and leaving her two daughters, both under the age of five. Many questions percolated in my head as I listened to the eulogy, written a few months earlier, by our friend, for her own funeral, inflections, emphasis, humor and all.
Leadership is often confused with “titles”. Exceptional leaders may have big titles, but most people with big titles are merely Average or Below Average leaders (84%, per the objective Bell Curve). If we examine the Fortune 500, 84% or 420 companies are objectively in the Bell (Average, 68%) or Below (16%). Thus; only about 16% or 80 are Above Average (or higher). Further, only one or two (0.3% x 500) would be considered an outlier.
Chris’s quote at the top of this blog article was selected as an example on how he saw Stefanie’s hair loss, his love for his wife and as a co-leader in his family. Exceptional leaders see problems, opportunities, etc. differently than most leaders. Equally important, exceptional leaders are able to actually implement effective solutions excellently that ultimately deliver positive social impact as part of their holistic solutions. These are key competencies required to be an exceptional, high-impact leader.
- Are you, as a leader, objectively, in the Top-16%, Top-7% or Top-1%?
- Would leaders in the Bottom-84%, Bottom-93% or Bottom-99% agree with your assessment (above)?
- What is your definition for leaders in the Top-16%, Top-7% or Top-1%?
Lastly; what percent of your leadership capacity are you actually using to convert Visions for Possibilities into Implemented Realities that actually change other people’s lives? This final, litmus question will help you answer the three previous questions.
Who changes the world? I believe it’s almost exclusively the Top-7%. They are the only ones with the Talent Portfolios and social consciences needed to actually implement significant positive social impact. If you believe you’re one of these executives, we’d love to explore possible opportunities.
Get Making A Difference! ~ JR
