To go up, just show up!

I learned early on in my management career that the easiest thing for one of your team members to do each is to simply show up! Just be there. Despite this revelation and my earnest heartfelt effort to impress this notion into the minds of my team members during my on boarding sessions, it is apparently more difficult to show up than I anticipated. Despite the inability for some to show up, what is an absolute in a world of uncertainty, is that if you choose to not show up, you will ultimately choose to be unsuccessful.

It has been said that showing up equates to 80% of success. The remaining 20% is made up of necessities that vary based upon the task, objective, and/or goal at hand. Make not mistake, that 20% matters, but notice if you are not there, you are not able to do it anyway! Hence, you have to be there to make an impact. You have to be there to make a difference. You have to be there to make a contribution. You have to be there to add value. Simply put, you get it, you have to be there to be successful.

One of the most dynamic leaders and powerful networkers I have met in my career is Sandra Wilson. She inspires me with her understanding of human relationships. She says over and over again that you should not be noticed for your absence, you should be noticed by your presence! That left an impression upon me! Just show up! A few weeks ago we we're discussing this concept and she apply said, "The people who show up rule the world." let me repeat that for emphasis: "The people who show up rule the world." That was one of those "aha" moments for me. She did not say, "Jim, if you show up you will rule the world." She was saying that our world leaders are our world leaders because they began by showing up!

Let's face it, you will not coach your team member if you miss that critical conversation. Just show up! You will not get elected to office, if you fail to put your name on the ballot. Just show up! You will not make that critical sale, if you push off that meeting or decide to not enter the receptionist area. Just show up! You will not get the promotion, if you decide not to apply. Just show up! You will not make that critical career connection if you decide to skip the association networking event. Just show up! You will not learn that critical skillset you need to advance your career if you opt to skip that session to go to the pool. You know what I am talking about! Just show up!

The next time you are at the crossroads of do or don't. Consider that you won't if you don't show up. Be present. Go that meeting. Go to that sales call. Go to class. Go to that networking opportunity. Be noticed for your presence. Show up. 80% of your opportunity to have success depends on you. Not your skill sets. It just depends upon you intentionally choosing to be there. You may have heard that famous all to common humble statement from successful people "I was just in the right place at the right time." Note: they showed up! They would not have been in the "right place" if they decided not to be there.

To go up, just show up!

Here we grow!