I am a huge fan of Simon Sinek‘s work, and I believe whole-heartedly in discovering your WHY, so you can articulate it succinctly, and, then, live and lead from that core operating system. Today’s post is on a topic and idea related to one’s WHY but more context specific. Whereas, your WHY, according to Sinek, transcends context and just actualizes differently depending on the WHAT, e.g., being a parent, being a friend, being a spouse, or, perhaps, even being a local politician, etc.
The topic I am discussing in today’s post is that which I am labeling as a Compelling Point of View (CPV). I have observed that many people, regardless of their passion or interest in their work, do not have a Compelling Point of View.
A Compelling Point of View is a personal philosophy and vision for how things should be done (in your line of work) to have a lasting IMPACT beyond the short term, i.e., your specifically selected approach to make things better, as opposed to just merely accomplish the minimum required to complete a task.
“When someone needs a drill bit, we can hand them a drill bit. But if someone wants to explore a new frontier, they are going to need our help finding a creative way forward, and that’s where your point of view and your contribution live.”
Seth Godin, The Practice
If you care about the lasting impact of your work, I suggest that you reflect on what your Compelling Point of View is…
Aside from being hired and told to do so, what are your intentions behind the choices you make that influence the outcome of your performance? Keep in mind, you can be passionate about your work and still be lacking a Compelling Point of View. It is your Compelling Point of View that makes you stand out and helps you to persist even when the odds are stacked against you.
