What’s a key difference between leaders who achieve their vision and those who don’t? It’s not the quality of their strategy. It’s their willingness to move rocks.
We’re putting in a new concrete patio this summer. Before the patio could go in, we had to move a big patch of “rip-rap”—not decorative stone, but actual hunks of rock that had to be shoveled out and moved by hand.
(Have I mentioned that I’m not the biggest fan of yard work?)
I was fully planning to farm this part out… but something in me kept saying, “You need to do this. It won’t be the most fun thing, but you need to do this.”
So we did it. Wheelbarrow by wheelbarrow, load by load, we moved all that rock across the yard to clear the space for the beautiful patio we knew was coming.
Here’s what I realized: Every vision has its rocks.
In my work with leaders, we talk endlessly about vision, strategy, and growth. What we don’t talk about enough is the part where you have to dig some sh*t up.
The part where you’ve got to move the old stuff out of the way—or do the stuff you don’t want to do—to make room for what you actually want to build.
It’s not glamorous. It’s certainly not the fun part. But it’s the reality: what moves your vision forward isn’t always the big idea—it’s the decision to roll up your sleeves and clear the rocks yourself.
I’m working with teams right now who are in exactly this place. They’ve defined the vision, mapped the strategy, identified the impact. The exciting part is done.
Now they have to do the grunt work: build project plans, assign resources, have difficult conversations, and decide what they aren’t going to do anymore. It’s the heavy lifting. It’s moving rocks.
They’re going to get dirty. Some days it won’t feel like leadership at all.
But here’s the truth:
The leaders who actually transform their organizations aren’t the ones with the prettiest vision decks. They’re the ones willing to pick up the shovel when everyone else is looking for someone else to do it.
What rocks are you avoiding in your own leadership? The patio is waiting.
Picture of actual rip-rap:
Looking to increase the cohesion, trust, and impact of your leadership team? Reach out and let’s discuss The Compass Team Experience and how I can help.
Recent Comments