The Art of Building ‘Better’

“Art is the generous act of making things better by doing something that might not work.” – Seth Godin

“We have to do better.” How many times have you heard that said in the past few years? I’ve lost count. In arenas ranging from global and political to personal and professional, many of us are earnestly (desperately) seeking ways to do and be better. It can feel like swimming upstream.

‘Better’ is possible. But it requires active building, not just handwringing. Making things better is an art, and art is both generous and brave.

Examine your definition of leadership.

The term “leadership” often invokes hierarchy. It’s easy to harbor a traditional command-and-control definition of leadership as “telling people what to do.” But the truth is that when you’re in a position of leadership, you are both responsible for and accountable to the people in your charge. They work for you, but you also work for them. Good leadership is about generosity.

Queen Elizabeth understood this. As Monica Hesse recently wrote in the Washington Post, “What made her extraordinary was not who she was, but what she gave.” As the queen herself explained, speaking on her 21st birthday, “I declare before you all that my whole life… shall be devoted to your service.”

Expand your notion of what’s possible.

Things are possible because you believe them to be so. Sometimes the obstacles seem insurmountable. The specific route to what you desire is murky. But if your goal is clear and your desire is strong, your belief can unlock doors never before imagined and propel you through them if you are brave enough to try.

Throughout her career, Serena Williams has exhibited faith and bravery equal to her talent. She has rewritten the playbook of what’s possible, not just once but many times. Early on, she forged a path as a Black female athlete in a white tennis world. Later, she broke the record for singles titles – while pregnant. And now she is building a multi-dimensional career that includes acting and activism alongside athletics and parenthood.

Embrace your inspirations.

Let these two great ladies be inspirations. Show up. Do the work. Serve. Set your terms and control your narrative. Stand strong in your beliefs and desires. Be generous and brave.

That is how you transform and transcend. That’s the art of building better.