FYI - My email format is slightly different this month because I just moved to a new email service, but you'll still get the same great insights every month. 😃

🧑‍💼 Quick Leadership Takeaway

A little kid once asked Walt Disney about his job. Here's how Disney described the conversation:

• Child: "Do you draw Mickey Mouse?"
• Walt: "No, I do not draw any more."
• Child: "Then do you think up all the jokes and ideas?"
• Walt: "No, I don't do that."
• Child: "Mr. Disney, just what do you do?"
• Walt: "Well, sometimes I think of myself as a little bee. I go from one area of the studio to another and gather pollen and sort of stimulate everybody. I guess that’s the job I do."

When you stop to think about it, the life of a manager is sometimes a strange one.

The higher you rise up the ranks of a company, the less of the day-to-day work you personally handle (making cold calls, helping clients, completing team tasks, etc.)

It can be easy to get frustrated that your calendar is now packed with meetings and you don't do the daily work that once gave you a sense of accomplishment. (The higher you go, the less tangible the work.)

But what's cool about management is that your decisions can impact (and help) a TON of people:

• A decision you make could save 100+ hours for your team
• A meeting you lead could inspire & engage dozens of people
• A strategic partnership could land 20 new clients (and that new revenue could create jobs for 50+ new employees)

Remember: even your small decisions have impact.

As a leader, your job is to inspire others to achieve their best work. That's a huge responsibility, and your position lets you postively impact others' lives on a daily basis. (I'd say that's pretty awesome.)

⛽ Articles to Fuel Lifelong Learning

​Optimistic Discontent: The Key To Succeeding While Maintaining Sanity​ If you’re entirely comfortable with what you’ve already achieved, you'll stop pushing to do more.

​What to Cover in Your First 1–on-1s as a Manager​ Your first meeting sets the tone for your relationship with your direct reports. Here are 5 tips.

📚 Books That Are Worth Your Time

​Die With Zero by Bill Perkins​ I loved this book because it flies in the face of most personal finance advice, yet I found myself nodding along as I read the core principles of every chapter. By the end of the book, I immediately made a couple of big financial changes in my life.

​Marcus Aurelius by Donald Robertson​ Biographies often intimidate me because they're usually SOOOO LONG. This 200-pager is a great ROI on your time. It's a fascinating overview of the life of one of the earliest & most influential Stoic philosophers.

​Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card​ The movie adaptation is decent, but as with most stories, don't let the movie inform your opinion of the book. Ender's Game is a sci-fi classic and one of the best books I've ever read in the genre. If you're a sci-fan fan and still haven't read this, grab it. It's fun, fast-paced, and surprising.

🔥 Inspiring Quotes

🤓 A Personal Tidbit

This week is one of my favorite times of the year: March Madness kicks off here in the US!

For me, it's not just a chance to watch basketball (my favorite sport), but also an opportunity to reunite with some of my best friends for our annual March Madness trip.

This year, my home city of Seattle is hosting the first two rounds of the tournament, and I'm hoping we get some close games.

👇 Helpful Resources

Visit me at BobbyPowers.com for more articles and book reviews about leadership, self-improvement, and productivity.

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