As soon as I came in as leader, we had seven weeks to an election, so we had to be entirely focused on the job we had in front of us.
Interpretation
A leader must prioritize and focus on immediate tasks to achieve success.
In this quote, Jacinda Ardern emphasizes the importance of being dedicated and focused on the responsibilities at hand, especially in the lead-up to critical events like elections. It underscores the necessity for leaders to direct their attention to the vital tasks and challenges they face in order to effectively guide their teams and succeed in their objectives.
In practice
During a team meeting about upcoming projects, I shared this quote to highlight our need for focus.
We've had a debate about immigration in New Zealand for some time. Now what we're trying to champion in that conversation is a recognition that New Zealand has been built off immigration. I myself am a third-generation New Zealander.
One of the things I'm so determined to preserve and restore is the fact that you can be the kid who was born in Dinsdale and find yourself working for the British government in the U.K., to being prime minister.
I don't just try to score. The challenge is elevating my teammates to be able to win a championship.
Leaders learn to leverage the problems that never go away in a way to create progress for the organization.
To get others to come into our ways of thinking, we must go over to theirs; and it is necessary to follow, in order to lead.
A president who aspires to be recognized as a global leader should not personally stake out a foreign-policy goal, commit himself eloquently to its attainment, and then yield the ground when confronted by firm opposition.
We know where most of the creativity, the innovation, the stuff that drives productivity lies-in the minds of those closest to the work. It's been there in front of our noses all along while we've been running around chasing robots and reading books on how to become Japanese-or at least manage like them.
I think one of the great, great problems...is confusing people to the point where they become immobile. In fact, the more things people can find out for themselves, the more vigor the organization is going to have.
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