some final questions

“The important thing is not to stop questioning.
Curiosity has its reason for existence.”
—Albert Einstein, American scientist
“We can only learn and grow if we are willing to ask a lot
of good questions.”
—Dr. Alan Gregerman,
American business consultant
“How can we improve this?”
—Walt Disney, American entrepreneur
Here we are at the end. So:
What will you take away from this journey we’ve made together? Have
you started your own list of questions?
I hope so. Go back and look at the worksheets. Maybe
you’ll find inspiration in the Appendix. Start a list on
your handheld organizer or buy a new notebook. Good
questions show up at the most unusual times.
Do you find yourself with a broader view of leadership?
This question demands a short stop. At the beginning
of this book I said that I believed that you’d rather be
a good leader than a poor one and that being a great
leader would be even better. Having a bigger view of
what leadership is and can be is worth the investment
you put into reading this book.
Are you one who takes big steps or baby steps?
Try some baby steps first. Pick your favorite question
and work with it for a while. Gauge people’s reactions
and monitor your comfort, as you become a leader who
asks questions.
Have you given yourself goals and a deadline?
Oh, for heaven’s sake. You’ve been around too long not
to know why this is important.
Do you need to ponder more?
Important. Give yourself time to think things through
and get comfortable with new actions. Just don’t use
pondering as an excuse for not starting.
Are you feeling confident or anxious?
Either is okay. Both at the same time are understandable.
What support system can you count on?
Who can you enlist to support your personal change
effort?
Is leadership worth being passionate about?
Yes. One might even say that a leader without passion
is no leader at all.
Do these questions never end?
The questions never end, or you should hope they
never end because questions are linked with learning,
and learning is linked with growth, and the only alter-
native to growth is death. Not a good choice.
Are we done now?
I am. You’re just starting.
Little children ask questions all the time because they’re curious.
Adults are often afraid to ask questions because they are afraid of
appearing stupid, ignorant, or uninformed.
I admire leaders who ask questions like children. I know they’re
brave.
What would I do if I knew I could not fail?
If I believed would the wind always fill up my sail?
How far would I go, what could I achieve
Trusting the hero in me?
What would I do today if I were brave?
From If I Were Brave
Words and music by
Jana Stanfield and Jimmy Scott