Insights

No. 1

"A strong leader accepts blame and gives the credit. A weak leader gives blame and accepts the credit." -John Wooden

If you’re leading, everything is your fault - but it is your responsibility. Accept that and get back to work fixing it.No. 2

“If you lose your voracious curiosity about tactical details, if you lose passionate interest in people and how they are feeling, if you insulate yourself in the protective cocoon of executive comforts, you may well wake up one day to discover your company has already entered a doom loop of decline and self-destruction.” - Jim Collins

The bigger the organization and your title, the more time you must spend hunting for the truth. You have to spend time in the weeds rooting out opportunities and the real causes of the problem or success. No. 3

“When someone speaks well of you, do not get puffed up. Simply say to yourself: 'If they knew all my faults, they would not speak so well of me.” - Epictetus

A Thought

These insights highlight essential traits of leadership - responsibility, curiosity, and humility. It’s easy to nod in agreement but how do we develop these and help others do the same? Recently, I came across this interview with Shreyas Doshi, in which he explains the relationship to agency and talent - he calls it the Agency / Talent Matrix.

What is Talent?

While often viewed as innate ability, talent in this context means demonstrated capability or competence. It's important to note that talent isn't fixed – what you are born with is not your destiny. Someone doing the work will eventually beat someone sitting on the sidelines.

What is agency?

This is the ability to make decisions about your work, take initiative, and influence outcomes. Someone with high agency can self manage and collaborate to get things done.

While talent gets attention, it doesn't matter without agency. People with high agency are:

* Self-confident and resilient

* Take ownership

* Excel at creative execution

* Communicate effectively and influentially

* Bring others along to achieve the right results

2x2 Matrix

To illustrate this, he created a 2x2 matrix. On the horizontal axis is agency, and on the vertical axis is talent.

Cogs In The Wheel - (Low Agency / Low Talent)

* They do undifferentiated but often necessary work.

* Won’t improve outcomes

Frustrated Geniuses - (Low Agency / High Talent)

* Highly competent with tremendous potential

* Lack of creative execution to get it done

* Strong ability to point to what is wrong but wait for things to be perfect.

Game Changers - (High Agency / High Talent)

* Rare - change the game for the company

* If you find them, do whatever you can to hire and retain

Go Getters - (High Agency / Low Talent)

* Usually early in their career

* Ambitious and optimistic - they roll with ambiguity

* Can move to Game Changer with enough time and experience

This is an interesting framework to use for hiring, promoting, and retention. Where does someone fall on this matrix? Where do you fall?

The Go-Getter is the one that stands out for me. The Go Getter can decide to be optimistic, roll with ambiguity, and be ambitious enough to work their craft until they have skills and agency to be a game changer. With enough time and practice they can become Game Changers.

Key Takeaways:

* Agency as a skill is underrated and can be improved.

* Conditions are rarely perfect, and waiting for them will mean nothing gets done

* Excuses are easier than execution

* Cultivate your comfort with looking foolish (experiment, ask questions)- that’s how you learn and improve your craft.

* The characteristics of a game changer (ownership, curiosity, and comfort with imperfection) are also essential to leadership.

There are lots of reasons why things don’t get done. Make sure you’re not one of them.

Be good.

Kelly

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kellyvohs.substack.com

The Talent / Agency Matrix

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