A great mentor of mine said that you don’t miss the work, you miss the people when you move on. That is particularly true of partners who are really that – who work tirelessly to support you, help you by both listening to you, and also being people of Virtue. So much is written these days about the lack of ethics and values in corporate settings, and I certainly can add to that… and, I also know some leaders that are stunning in their clarity and focus on what matters most – living out authentically their values – for their team, and for themselves. I was honored to partner with one at VeriSign that went through many busy seasons with me, including how to best leverage RAPID for our team…
As I was getting on board, I had a peer that ran Engineering for the West Coast Security team. I am not sure who reached out first, but we both connected pretty quickly, so when I asked about RAPID and skeptically if it was actually used, he of course sent back his very complete implementation. Each of the 5 Virtues – outlined for each person in the organization – at every level. So Project Managers, Developers, Quality Assurance people – Director through leaf-level individual contributors… clear, measurable ways that they should behave to demonstrate RAPID. Daily – in every deliverable. It was one of the best and most complete implementations of “competencies” I have seen before or since…
.. and more amazing is that was just “second nature”. He didn’t think it was that amazing, nor did his team. It was just a way of doing business that made sense. Logical, clear, actionable, and used/embraced by all – with no fanfare really. I am sure this write up will cause him to blush, as in ‘…really?? This is normal’. Yes – to you – but to others, extraordinary. When we were asked to completely reorganize all 1765 engineers, we traded calls and emails every day – in complete secrecy. When it came time to actually execute the plan, I was “forced” to let my team transition to his leadership. And as always, it was made easier because I knew that not only were they in good hands, they were in better hands – some that have the soft and important touch of Virtue in every engagement.
Bach was not merely one of the greatest composing geniuses in history; he was also a devoted family man, and frequently wrote keyboard music as a teaching aid for his many children. The Well-Tempered Clavier is a set of preludes and fugues in all 24 major and minor keys (48 works in all). If that sounds a little dry, then just remember this is Bach we’re talking about. The 48 are just as gripping to listen to as they are to play, earning their place among the best Bach works. And, given that this music was never intended for an audience, it’s hardly surprising that there’s a sense of intimacy about even the most extended and grandiose of the pieces.
This particular treatment by Lang Lang is stunning in its simplicity and beauty…. and the video highlights children which puts the context exactly where it fits… watch to the very end. I wish we could all see each other with the same eyes we had as children – the magic, the wonder, the focus on growing up well, our Virtues. Particularly this day as we continue our slide into a season of… well, let’s just think more about Bach, and the beauty of his “simple” music. And about Virtue partners like my friend. He was also a real family man – sending out an early Holiday card with his family all around the table – each on their own device 😉 Clearly a proud focus of his, they were always first in our conversations – after of course, he asked about mine. If you don’t have a partner like him, it would be a good investment to start making – in yourself and your team. I am not sure what a Clavier is, but I certainly know, and pray for all of us to be… Well-Tempered.
