Lesson 93: Imperfection
About the Searcher
I encourage you not to focus on perfection so much that you forget how amazing you are.
When I was in Teach For America, I completed my training over the summer with a cohort of other teachers. Our teaching coach, Erica, led us through our final exercise: write an encouraging note to each person.
I opened my laptop to a blank document, and so did everyone else. I walked around the room typing a personal note to each teacher. When I returned to my laptop, the blank document became a letter filled with paragraphs about why I will make a great teacher. One person wrote: “Never forget how amazing you are.”
Erica told us, “Open this letter when you have a rainy day.” I have not taught since 2020, but I still revisit this letter on rainy days. I have had rainy days at business school and have made mistakes, but I try not to let my imperfections blind me to what I love about myself.
About Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition
This week, I had the privilege of speaking with Adam Philpot, CEO of Tristar Building Services, and Todd Story, Co-Founder of Tristar Building Services. The Booth ETA Fellows traveled to Nashville to speak with Adam about how he acquired the business from the founders.
As we wrapped up the tour of their facilities, we walked inside from the cold to sit down with Adam and Todd. Todd gave the Fellows this advice, “The possibilities are endless with humility.” He explained that if you find the right people and delegate responsibility, then your business has unlimited potential. The leader will not be perfect, but they can be humble enough to find people and celebrate them for doing great work.
About the Bigger Picture
My values are to act with love, humility, and wisdom. When I was a teacher, I constantly worried if I would be good enough, so when my lessons did not go according to plan (which happened often) I would feel inadequate and wince when I replayed my mistakes in my mind. Today, I am pursuing search so that I can steward a business that helps people to provide for their families. Still, I sense feelings of inadequacy.
However, my imperfections as a teacher did not keep me from making an impact on my students. Likewise, my imperfections will not keep me from making an impact as an operator. Humility will allow me to embrace my imperfections so that I can empower other people and celebrate them for doing great work. Along the way, I will have to peek at my “rainy day letter” so I never forget what I love about myself.
This is Lesson 93: Imperfection. Next week is Lesson 94: Family.
