Be a First-Class Noticer

A note to young leaders.

Be a “first class noticer.”

In their classic book, Geeks & Geezers, Warren Bennis and Robert Thomas make an interesting observation about a common denominator among successful leaders in every field.

Bennis and Thomas call them “first class noticers.”

Leaders who notice well are alert to patterns, trends, talents and pitfalls that others overlook. That puts them in a position to connect the dots.

My daughter Eva, I’m proud to say, has this quality in spades – which is why I tell her all the time that she has the potential to be a great leader.

In 2016, I was travelling a great deal to Austin, Texas for business. Eva was only 3-years old at the time.

While in Austin, I would occasionally send my wife random photos, including the one below of me at a riverfront restaurant in Austin.

A month later, when I was back in Australia, Eva suddenly commented: “Daddy, that’s the shirt from your trip, when you were hugging the statue.”

Eva would have only seen the photo for a few seconds some four weeks prior. The lighting was dim and the shirt totally unremarkable. She still spotted it. She was a “first rate noticer.”

What are you noticing? What are your team, your market and your world quietly telling you?

Million dollar opportunities are literally walking across your path every day. Pay attention.