It’s unbelievable that I’m approaching my 400th podcast. I’m not sure how it all happened, or how I got here, but here we are at #400! I love recording the show, and I love meeting new and incredible leaders and people. You can sign up and subscribe here to listen: https://andrewmarotta.com/podcast-new/ You can subscribe to my YouTube channel here: bit.ly/andrewmarottayoutube
During the podcast, I get to see a behind-the-scenes look at the guests’ work and the magic that goes into their leadership. Most recently, I have been noticing a weird phenomenon. While I’m the one asking the questions and directing the flow of the podcast, it seems that more and more often the guests are putting it back on me. They are returning questions to me and asking me things on my podcast!
They are taking the spotlight that I am putting on them (it’s their time to be interviewed) and pushing it back on me. I shake my head, I smile, and I think, “I’m interviewing this person about their life, and they’re putting the attention back on me.”
It is so kind and nice of them to do that, and it got me reflecting on my own leadership. It brings me back to the last excerpt of my newest book about the amazing Dr. Rob Gilbert: The Magic Acronyms, Formulas, and Impactful Stories of Leadership. You can find it here: https://bit.ly/MagicAcronyms
The conclusion excerpt is: “It’s about others. In every interaction that we have with somebody else, we can turn the spotlight in a good way and put it on them. We can find different opportunities to make them shine and make them feel good about their leadership. It’s about others. Try it.”
I remember many, many years ago when I was a freshman in college, I was at a restaurant in Chapel Hill, NC. The legendary, Hall of Fame Coach from UNC Basketball came in: The Dean himself, Dean Smith! OMG! Dean!
He visited quickly with some people, shook some hands, and was in and out. I darted out the door and yelled, “Coach, I just want to say hello,” then introduced myself. I was eager to hear from the great Dean Smith, yet he flipped it around on me. He asked me all about myself: where I went to school, if I played basketball, if I was a Carolina fan, etc–and when we were done, I was the one who felt great. He put the spotlight right back on me.
In your next interaction with somebody, see if you can find something to ask them about, get them talking, and find something to celebrate about them. Regardless of how old, their position, or your relationship with that person, they want to shine too! Put the spotlight back on that person in the best way! # SurviveThrive
