Most of us, in fact nearly all of us, are not playing with a full deck.
What do I mean by that?
No one succeeds on their own. We all need the perspectives of others.
For example, I am creative yet scattered. I generate a lot of ideas. Some are good. Many are not. Creativity is not where I struggle.
On the other hand, knowing which ideas are good and then implementing them is a major weakness of mine. I chase bright shiny objects that rarely see the light of day unless I partner with people who are great at turning vision into reality.
Knowing who I need is only the first step. Fully embracing their input is essential.
Why?
Because opposites do not attract. They detract. They repel. We are naturally drawn to people who think like we do.
That may work in our personal lives, but it quietly destroys businesses.
When we only hire people who fit the mold, our ideas become moldy. Stale. Predictable.
We need to embrace the people who drive us crazy, because the person you like the least may be the person you need the most.
The opening line of my forthcoming book, You’re Not Playing with a Full Deck: Why the People Who Drive You Crazy Also Drive Breakthrough Results, captures this perfectly:
“The person who drove me the craziest turned out to be the one who saved my career.”
Who drives you nuts, but if you are honest with yourself, you really need them on your team?
The book won’t be available until April 2026. However, if you would like a sneak preview, I have included a five-minute video created with NotebookLM below.
To create it, I uploaded the entire manuscript, pressed a button, and this was generated. It is not perfect. It misses some important points about culture. Still, it is a strong starting point.
As I prepare for the launch, I am putting together a small launch team. If you are interested, contact me. I would love to send you an early copy of the book and, if you find it valuable, ask for your help sharing it when it is published.
The book is now with the cover and interior layout designers. I will be sharing early drafts here soon. Thanks for all your support!