How You Have Inescapable Impact

No one can live as an individual.

“No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;” John Donne


If you could live an individual life, your life would be completely meaningless. But – for better or worse – your actions impact others, even if you wish they didn’t.

In the moment:

No one lives simply in the moment. The past is ever present. 

There’s no reason to start fresh, if NOW is all there is.


Like it or not, you are connected to your past and embedded with the people around you. The saying, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” is horse shit.

Living as an individual – exclusively in the moment – would be a disaster, if it was possible.

The law of consequence:

The law of consequence gives meaning to your decisions and actions. Apart from consequence, everything you do is meaningless.

You might hide in your office, but trying to avoid decisions impacts others. Even when you try to do nothing, lack of action has impact.

Leaders know:

#1. They matter – even if they might prefer to matter less.

Immature leaders live with disregard for their impact. They can’t or won’t connect the dots. They reject responsibility.

#2. The action of one impacts the work of many.

Individuality provides the illusion that you aren’t responsible for the impact of your wake. But every moving boat disturbs the water.

If you aspire to lead, think about impact in broad terms.

  1. How are you making things better for others?
  2. How are thoughtless actions making work more difficult for others?
  3. Who is sweeping up your mess?

Meaningful impact begins with connection – connection to:

  1. Yourself
  2. The past.
  3. Others.
  4. The present.
  5. The imagined future.

What does it mean for leaders to embrace the inescapable power of their impact on others?