Leslie Odom, Jr.'s "Failing Up"
Leslie Odom, Jr.'s "Failing Up" is an autobiography written at what I hope is the midpoint of a long and successful career. He has a lot of practical advice gleaned from performing that I think is very applicable to entrepreneurs. Post includes 10 excerpts from the book with commentary on how entrepreneurs can apply it.
Leslie Odom, Jr. played Aaron Burr in Hamilton, I was impressed by his performance and enjoyed the play. I read Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin Manuel Miranda and Jeremy Carter which provides context on how the show evolved over a period of several years, it also provides an annotated score that I found interesting. There are short chapters on each of the principal actors and the one the profiled Odom included this insight:
Leslie Odom Jr. says it best: “’How do you let people know what you want? You let them know through preparation. You show them’”
quoted in Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin Manuel Miranda and Jeremy Carter
That impressed me so much I decided to read his auto-biography"Failing Up." Subtitled "How to Take Risks, Aim Higher, and Never Stop Learning" the book offers a wealth of practical insights for entrepreneurs
When the phone did not ring today, what step forward did you take for yourself?
“He began, “Les, of course you can quit. That’s fine. And we can talk about what you might do next and how to go about it. I can support you in that. But I’d love to see you try before you quit.” [...]
“He said, “You know how to succeed when the phone is ringing. I think you do extraordinarily well when you’re called upon. I think you show up and you’re confident because of your preparation. But what about when the phone’s not ringing?”
Stu went on, “What did you do for yourself today? Did you call anyone? In what ways did you take charge of your creative life today? Did you send an e-mail to someone who might be working on something you care about? Did you read anything? Did you write anything? Did you take a class? Did you practice? What step forward did you take for yourself today in the absence of the ringing phone?”
Excerpt from “Failing Up" by Leslie Odom, Jr.
Stu is Stuart K. Robinson, Odom's father-in-law, a well-respected acting coach, and a successful businessman. There are several traps that Robinson is addressing in this short bit of advice:
- It's great when the phone rings and someone wants to consider hiring you (or purchasing your product), but you must prepare.
- You don't get the day off when the phone does not ring. You have to put your time and efforts at risk to improve yourself or improve your visibility.
- You have to see it and work to make it happen; you cannot wait for things to happen.
Talent is a Gift; Hard Work and Perseverance are a Must
“Without solid vocal training, singing a rock score eight times a week can trash your voice. I remember losing my voice for the first time a few weeks into my contract. Singing training for me consisted of the choir in church, the hours I’d spent messing around on a karaoke machine that I was given one Christmas, and the hundreds of hours I’d logged with Mom and Dad’s record collection.
Having my voice gone in a moment was pretty terrifying. The powerlessness you feel is not easy to put into words. It makes you realize in the most profound way that any talent you may have is a gift.” [..]
“Talent isn’t everything. Talent is nice. In some instances, it is a leg up, but it’s only a part of what you’ll need for success ultimately. Hard work and perseverance are almost more important.
It’s possible to marry a meager talent to enduring success with a strong work ethic. It is just as possible to squander a major talent with laziness and inaction.
Assess what you’ve got. Be honest with yourself and make the most of whatever you’ve been given.”
Excerpt from “Failing Up" by Leslie Odom, Jr.
There are several good insights here.
- A lot of what looks like talent can be a matter of being early, for example, early to a market. It's an advantage, but unless you work to improve, it's likely to be transient as later arrivals go to school on your success.
- There is a risk of relying on a differentiating advantage and not developing other skills. You don't round out your team's capabilities and address a problem with the appropriate mix of skills, relying instead on one or two strengths that may not be the best fit.
- You have to protect your talents: get enough rest; l don't strain out of panic or an unwillingness to recognize limits; keep learning and understand how to balance where you are strong with at least adequate skills in other areas.
- The ability to accurately assess your capabilities--at an individual, team, and firm level--and make commitments that you can keep is a superpower all of its own. Being trustworthy and diligent are two talents you can cultivate to complement other natural abilities.
Preparation is the sign of your intention
“My preparation had made me fearless, and I had no expectations. There’s nothing like preparation to make you fearless.”
“Preparation is the sign of your intention. You can allow your preparedness to speak for you in rooms you care about.”
Excerpt from “Failing Up" by Leslie Odom, Jr.
Nothing communicates a lack of interest in a business relationship like little or no preparation for a conversation. You can be surprised at a trade show booth and fall back on a prepared menu of options or approaches. Still, if you are not tailoring your outreach and presentation materials for each prospect, you limit your success chances. Familiarizing yourself with a customer and not asking basic questions that five minutes on their website could answer makes a positive impression (or avoids the negative impression that you have not done your homework). I am not arguing for a scripted or robotic conversation but one that allows you to stay in the moment because you already have a primary context that enables you to ask deeper questions early.
More at https://www.skmurphy.com/blog/2022/04/19/leslie-odom-jr-on-failing-up/
