Rule #9 Don't Worry About What Your Boss Thinks

Rule# 9

Rule: Don’t Worry About What Your Boss Thinks

Rule Maker: Bill Campbell, Legendary Silicon Valley Executive Coach

Learn More About The Rule: “Trillion Dollar Coach” by: Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg and Alan Eagle

First, who is Bill Campbell? Well, he may well be the most impactful and prolific executive coach outside of Tony Robbins you’ve never heard of. Bill Campbell was a college football coach turned executive coach in Silicon Valley. His clients included names such as Steve Jobs (Founder and CEO of Apple), John Chambers (Former CEO of Cisco Systems), Eric Schmidt (Former Google CEO) and many other tech titans in the Valley.

Once when a client expressed frustration about not getting feedback from his higher ups Campbell responded that the client needn’t worry about “top-down” feedback; rather, he should pay attention to input from his peers. What do your teammates think of you? That’s what’s important!

Campbell was a phenomenal coach and in the book “Trillion Dollar Coach” stories like these abound. We are so often concerned about what the person in the corner office thinks we neglect what really matters and that’s the view our teammates fighting shoulder to shoulder with us. I was just visiting with a fraternity brother who is retiring from the Marine Corps. He told me in the Marines you constantly watch out for your fellow Marine. In other words care about those who matter most to you and who you matter most to.

The ancient Spartans practiced this in warfare. They didn’t have to worry about their own back because their fellow soldier was watching it for them while they battled. The Spartans were known for carefully tending to their fellow warrior. They were concerned as much with protecting their fellow man as they were killing their enemy.

I think we often generally worry far too much about what the wrong people think of us and neglect what those we depend on most think. Think of your children. What do they think of you? What about your spouse or your siblings? I have often put way too much stock in what others think of me. I confess this boldly. However, the older I get the more I could couldn’t care less about the opinions of others. The opinions that matter most to me are that of my wife Jemilynn and second that of my daughters Rylan and Abby. It’s a downhill scale from there that drops off very abruptly.

I also think it’s imperative to question what the guy or gal in the mirror thinks of you. I know that’s a little flowery and introspective. However, I have found the only way I can improve myself is to take an honest account of what I like and don’t like about myself. I look for generational traits and patterns that need to be broken. If I don’t like something about myself I have to first, have the courage to admit the thing I don’t like is present and second I have to have the discipline to change it.

I don’t like those who say they just don’t give a f*** about what anyone thinks about them. I get the gist of what most of these folks are saying. However, that attitude can turn you into a complete a-hole. I think taking account of those who we love and will be with us for the long haul in life’s journey matters. Consider being someone they like to be around, admire and can count on is absolutely worthwhile. What these people think actually does matter.

You rule!

Jason

Ps.

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