On December 13, 2011 the world lost a remarkable person and I lost a long-time friend. In the days that followed her death, however, the inspiring legacy of Burnetta Burns Williams began to emerge. I believe that legacy has the power to eclipse all the great things she accomplished during her lifetime. A story written by Geoff Caulkins, a sports reporter for the Memphis Commercial Appeal, makes a compelling case for sharing her story widely. The world would be a much better place if people followed his recurring recommendation, “Be like Burnetta.”

What was so special about Burnetta? The fact that she aspired to do great things with the talents she had been given – and that she insisted that others do the same. Even when you didn’t think you could do something, if Burnetta thought you could, she pushed you until you did it. Speaking for myself, those experiences were not always pleasant: Burnetta pushed really hard when she thought you were holding back on living up to your ability. My observation is that she usually was right: you really could do it.

And that was another thing about Burnetta: it seemed she frequently did things she wasn’t “supposed” to be doing. At her funeral, one of her closest friends said, “Little black girls from the projects in Memphis weren’t supposed to earn degrees from Yale and MIT. They weren’t supposed to grow up to be the Vice President and Treasurer of a Fortune 500 company.” But that was Burnetta – following her aspirations rather than allowing others to limit them.

Because Burnetta was an intensely private person, few people knew the extent to which she devoted her time, energy, resources, and connections to helping others, particularly young women, live up to their talents. The various pieces of her life were revealed during the services and the funeral that followed her death, as family, friends, and colleagues came together to celebrate her life. The stories that people shared were like richly colored threads that, when woven together, enabled us to see the beautiful tapestry that was Burnetta’s life.

So what is Burnetta’s legacy, that which should be passed on to every person, and especially to every young person? For me, it can be summarized in three words: expectations, choices, and focus. These are the things that I believe drove Burnetta to achieve her aspirations, and to help others achieve theirs.

Expectations: Burnetta set the bar very high for herself and for others. She constantly pushed those around her to excel, even when we didn’t want to or believe we could. If Burnetta believed you could do something, she was relentless in pushing you to do it, even when it meant going far out of your comfort zone. The lessons learned, however, were priceless, as people walked away knowing they were much better than they had suspected. But Burnetta knew – and she wanted YOU to know also.

Choices: In retrospect, I think Burnetta epitomized the lesson articulated by Viktor Frankl in his book Man’s Search for Meaning. That is, no matter how dire the circumstances in which we find ourselves, human beings ALWAYS have a choice: we get to choose how we experience any given situation. We can choose to be victims and live in a state of victimhood, or we can make healthy choices that allow us to survive and thrive. Burnetta chose to follow her aspirations, and to guide others to do the same.

Focus: Like radar locked on its target, Burnetta was relentless in pursuing her goals and the tasks in front of her. If you were in her line of sight, you were lucky – even though you often didn’t feel that way in the moment – because she would turn that focus on you. Whatever the obstacles, they didn’t stand a chance: Burnetta always found a way to get what she wanted. And in so doing, she inspired others to do the same.

One of the biggest lessons I take from Burnetta’s life is that it was at least as much about others as it was about her. Personal success and accomplishments weren’t enough for her: she had to bring others along with her. Her life is a testament to the point made in the newspaper article: while not everyone can follow Michael Jordan’s path to success, everyone is capable of following Burnetta’s.

The question is, what can YOU do to be like Burnetta? And how can you help others be like her as well?

© 2011 Pat Lynch. All rights reserved.

It is said that there are only two certainties in this life: death and taxes. I would like to nominate a third possibility: life transitions. Human beings go through many transitions, beginning with the most basic one: our journey from baby to child to adult. Many life transitions can be anticipated, such as those from student to worker, from employee to entrepreneur, from one career to another, from childless individual to parent, or from worker to retiree. Then there are those changes that we often do not expect, such as transitions from worker to jobless individual, from married to single again, from “empty nester” to roommate of grown children, or from retiree to worker.

The question is, do you plan for life’s transitions, or are you more likely to wait and let them surprise you? I can make a strong case for the benefits of planning for change, whether or not we can foresee it. Especially since we live in an environment of permanent “white water” (i.e., a world in which figurative raging torrents, unstable currents, and hidden hazards are everyday occurrences), proactively planning for change can make the difference between being able to act opportunistically and having to react to whatever comes our way. Why not approach the inevitability of change as a source of opportunity, making the process of navigating it as easy and productive as possible?

One way to prepare for successfully seizing opportunities as they present themselves is to develop a personal plan similar to the succession planning process that an organization would implement to ensure smooth transitions. Below are some of the elements of such a process. If done on a regular basis, they can facilitate life’s transitions, both expected and unexpected:

• A clearly articulated “big picture” that guides your career goals.
• Strong commitment to the course of action you have selected.
• Support of your goals by significant people in your life.
• Identification of the specific competencies required for successful transition to your next position or career, or to retirement.
• Periodic assessment of your existing knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies.
• Effective measures of progress and achievement of your goals.
• Realistic assessment of your current performance.
• Implementation of your on-going professional development plan.
• Periodic re-assessment of your personal goals.
• Mindset that is ready for change and the opportunities it presents.

Whether your life transitions are expected or come out of the blue, you can increase your odds of dealing with them successfully by spending some time developing an on-going, systematic process that is agile enough to help you thrive during turbulent times. Why not do everything you can to ensure you are as successful as possible in playing out whatever hand life deals you?

© 2011 Pat Lynch. All rights reserved.

What are the things you are most passionate about in life? What would it be like if those things played a prominent role in your life every day? In what ways would the world, your community, your family, and you be better off if you were able to let your light shine?

Just as organizations often fail to see their true potential – i.e., the expansive vision of what they can achieve vs. the more common limited view – so do most individuals. Even “successful” people often have unrealized potential that they fail to see and/or acknowledge. Here are some examples of obstacles that prevent individuals from seeing what they really are capable of contributing:

- They are not used to thinking in expansive terms, especially when it comes to their own abilities.
- In some cultures, behaviors that are viewed as self-promoting are frowned upon.
- They have limiting beliefs that block their view.
- They have bought into the low expectations of themselves and others.

Here are six steps you can take to help you go beyond your perceived potential and see clearly your true potential:

1. Make the first sale to yourself.
You truly must believe that you have a moral imperative to share your talents with those who desperately want and need the value only you can provide.

2. Think really big, then triple that view.
Push the boundaries of your comfort zone. Follow the lead of one of my colleagues, Phil Symchych, who has resolved to “become comfortable with being uncomfortable” because he knows growth occurs only when we have pushed ourselves beyond our perceived boundaries.

3. Get the necessary support to help you envision and implement your personal “big picture.”
Ask for what you want and need. Surround yourself with those who believe in your ability to achieve your vision; jettison the naysayers. (If the latter are family members, minimize the time you spend with them.)

4. Keep your eye on the big picture.
It’s so easy to get caught up in the minutiae of daily life. Your vision is your touchstone; return to it often.

5. Align everything you do to your big picture.
Focus relentlessly on the big picture when making decisions, setting priorities, and allocating resources. Things that do not contribute to achievement of the vision should be jettisoned.

6. Celebrate success.
Living one’s passion is an on-going journey, not an event. It’s important to identify realistic measures and guideposts that enable you to recognize your progress as well as your achievements.

© 2010 Pat Lynch. All rights reserved.