Shut up and Listen
I Love Young Leaders. Catalyst exists to help equip young leaders, especially those under 40.
But this is a tribute to the leaders over 40 who so many of us under 40 too often think “don’t really understand what’s going on anymore.”
So to all of my peers under 40- SHUT UP and LISTEN……
Sit dow, SHUT UP, and LISTEN. To the sages and wise mentors in our lives, in our companies, in our organizations, in our families, in our churches. The leaders who’ve been there, who’ve succeeded and failed, who’ve experienced multiple recessions, who’ve actually watched technology advance, who don’t just talk about experience but actually have it.
Before many of us who “think” we are the next great hope for saving our generation, or leading our generation in a whole new way, or reclaiming our culture, or just simply fill in the blank……. go any further, we need to find the mentors and sages and patriarchs and matriarchs around us and glean wisdom from them.
Every young leader I know could use a whole lot more Saged Leader in their life.
Especially those of us in our early 30′s. In our early 20′s many times we are still hungry and humble enough to seek out mentors, and find the 50 year old + sages who can provide wisdom and counsel. But for some reason, in our late 20′s and 30′s, especially our early 30′s, we start to think we’ve grown up and got it all together, and that now we think instead of seeking wisdom and counsel, we should be giving it. We tend to lose the desire to learn by listening, and start to “protect our turf” by talking. And talking more. About what we’ve done and the things that we’ve accomplished….. over the last 10 years of our “career.”
Some of us in the “next generation” of leaders need to put down the microphone, and instead get out our pens and paper and start taking notes.
So find a wise mentor, a seasoned sage, someone who’s lived a little more, loved a lot deeper, prayed a lot harder, and led alot longer, and sit down…..Shut up…..and Listen.
I so love this post. I love young leaders and try to surround myself with them, but I agree with you. Many times young leaders (I was there once), fail to glean from the experienced leaders. I realize mistakes are one way we all learn, but I think the young who surrounds him or herself with seasoned veterans and will learn from their experience, are destined to even greater things. I can’t help but see that in some of the great leaders I know…they were willing to listen when they had the chance. Thanks!
Oh, and another note, I do not know any great leaders in their 50′s (I’m not there quite yet) who are not willing to invest in younger leaders.
good thoughts Ron!
Wow. This is really great. I myself have the desire and passion to grow more and more as a leader. I’m only 20 and I seek every opportunity I can to fully become a great leader. Thanks for such an amazing post.
very Good.
This post made me happy. Why? Because, as a 50-something grandma, I can look to those who have lived longer and more fully than me and to those younger who have experienced life from a new perspective. I haven’t done everything, but together we’ve done it all. I’m going to take advantage of that!
Man, oh man. I find myself at that in-between… not really a young leader anymore (turned 39 this month) but not really a “seasoned” leader either. I feel I still have so much to learn – so can I be a young leader a little longer? Please?
This post is an awesome evangelize-r of mentoring.
[...] “Shut Up and Listen” is a post by Brad Lomenick. It is a message urging “perspective” for young [...]
Spot-on. Thanks Brad. I know this is something I still work on as I catch myself ending conversations rather than extending them sometimes. I’d also just add that social media and the online channel, thankfully, have provided a wealth of opportunities for developing leaders to access the wisdom of greats like Michael Hyatt and others you listed in your 2nd Level influence post. So even until you find an in-person mentor (for which there is no substitute), you can still listen to many greats online. Thanks for sharing. Now I will “sit down, shut up and listen”.
[...] months ago I put together some thoughts for 20-somethings titled Shut Up and Listen. I also did a post for leaders in their 30’s on Lessons I’ve learned in my [...]
[...] months ago I put together some thoughts for 20-somethings titled Shut Up and Listen. I also did a post for leaders in their 30′s on Lessons I’ve learned in my [...]