Everyone knows the story of Benedict Arnold. His name has become synonymous with “traitor” in the American lexicon. Yesterday was the anniversary of one of his more infamous acts as a turncoat. On January 5, 1781, Arnold led a British raid on Richmond, Virginia, destroying a large portion of the city. Arnold is an easy guy to hate, but his treachery is only part of the story.
This summer I wrote a piece entitled, The Four Most Important Questions. In that post, I asserted that leadership success depends upon our ability to understand and answer four questions: Who am I? What do I want? What attracts others to choose to follow me? How can I earn and retain the privilege to lead?
One of my favorite parts of leadership is working with people who are just getting started in their careers. Most people enter the “real world” with passion that is almost palpable. It comes from a combination of naiveté, audacity, and most of all, ambition. For most, reality sets in over time, and our passions fade. Some extraordinary few never lose the fire. Many of those become visionaries and entrepreneurs who inspire and excite those around them. What happens to the rest? What becomes of the vast majority of idealists who leave college ready to take on the world? Many simply burn out. Their passion consumes them like a star consuming itself. Others collapse under their own weight.