This time of year we celebrate the spirit of wonder, magic, and belief. It fuels the season. As a magician, one of my goals is to give people the experience of wonder year ‘round. There’s nothing better than seeing people become excited seeing the impossible made possible when making a bowling ball appear out of nowhere or when a spectator’s dollar bill vanishes and reappears in a lemon. Why? Because it inspires people to believe that anything is possible. Magic allows us to see unseen possibilities before us, which always is followed by a sense of wonderment and joy. Our hearts and minds derive great pleasure from seeing what we thought was impossible become possible. I call this “The Power of WOW!”
The Power of WOW! is priceless. Just imagine what can be achieved when this power is unleashed and people believe that the impossible is possible.
This is the primary function of a leader.
In 1903, when horses were the primary means of transportation before the automobile assembly line, Henry Ford proclaimed that,
“We will build a motor car for the great multitude…It will be so low in price that no man making a good salary will be unable to own one and enjoy with his family the blessing of hours of pleasure in God’s great open spaces. When we’re through everybody will be able to afford one, and everyone will have one. The horse will have disappeared from our highways, the automobile will be taken for granted…(and we will) give a large number of men employment at good wages.” WOW! The power unleashed by Ford’s statement changed the world. He led people to accomplish what undoubtedly seemed impossible. For the eight years while I was at EDS, I also experienced something similar working for Ross Perot. I experienced tremendous growth professionally starting out as his personal assistant in my 20s and by the age of 31 was managing a $65 million account. Ross continually put me in jobs that I felt unprepared for, but he made me believe it was possible. Thanks to his belief in me I grew his business in Australia by 1300%. To accomplish that kind of growth, I needed to make my client and team believe that something impossible was possible. How has someone inspired you to accomplish something you thought was impossible? How have you inspired others? Tell me about your Power of WOW! stories.
