‹ Back

...And How Some Heroes Eat Pizza

 

 

I seek inspiraton from signs I come across in my travels. I recently saw this sign, and was reminded of the similarly adorable sign I saw in England. While that sign inspired me to focus not just on what you wear on the outside, it led me to look at internal values (click here to see my blog post on this topic), this sign reminded us that it's also about what you do.

 

I adore pizza, so of course this sign caught my attention. When I was younger, I could have eaten pizza every day and been perfectly content. In the early days of my career, I was living and working in New York City, where pizza is a street food. It's common to eat standing up at a counter, and it's not uncommon to eat while walking (or running) to an appointment.

 

Eating pizza -- while standing, walking, or running -- requires skill. Think about it. If you don't fold the pizza correctly, it could flop, and you could end up being covered in cheese, tomato sauce and/or grease. You also need to know how to position your napkin, so that anything that drips lands on the napkin but that the napkin itself does not become attached to the cheese.

 

I think you get my point. I'm not just talking about my love of pizza.

 

So why am I talking about eating pizza -- and what does that have anything to do with leadership?

 

Here are my takeaways from this sign:

 

• Real heroes take action. They don't just sit around dreaming of eating pizza (or doing something). They take a bite out of life and actually work to get things done. They know that life is not a spectator sport, and they must be active if they want to achieve their goals.

 

• Real heroes assess the skills needed to get the job done -- and then learn and practice those skills. I can still walk and eat pizza at the same time (although I'd prefer to sit and savor it). Do you need to learn or practice public speaking? What about other forms of communication? While it's always a good idea to hone skills, it's a better idea to begin working on them before it's vital you have those skills -- and keep learning/practicing after you acquire those skills.

 

• Real heroes do everyday things (like eat pizza) every day. Each and every one of us has a story to share and a lesson to teach. Take the time to listen to others' stories. You may be suprised at all you learn. You may also be surprised to learn that others like and respect you more when you give them the opportunity to share their thoughts and experiences.

 

• Real heroes strive for work-life balance. Eating pizza while walking or running is not the key to work-life balance, and real heores know that they need sustanance to get their job done. This includes taking time for meals and taking time for rest and relaxation. They learn when they need to sprint, when they can jog, when they can walk and when they can rest. If you speak with anyone who has run a marathon, they'll tell you that you cannot reah the finish line if you only run as fast as you can.

 

Do you have other takeaways from this sign? If so, please add a comment on my Facebook page.