The Messy Middle

Scott Belsky wrote his book, The Messy Middle, because even though the middle of a journey isn’t often typically pretty, it is illuminating and full of essential realizations to finish whatever it is you set out to start. His book guides you on how best to manage the middle of your business journey.

“We love talking about the starts,” says Belsky. “We also love talking about finishes,” he adds. “However, while difficult to withstand and tempting to rush, the middle of the journey contains all the discoveries that build your capacity.”

Some of my favorite takeaways for leaders from the book include:

Leave every conversation with energy. As a leader you can’t always provide answers. And you shouldn’t, as the correct solution may still be premature. But what you can do is always add energy to the situation even if the ultimate resolution isn’t yet possible.

Great teams are more than the assembly of great people. On the contrary, great teams are ultimately grown, not gathered. They’re made through endless iteration of rules, cultures, processes, structures, and tackling toxins whenever they emerge. The only way to build a great team is through endless optimization of how a team works together and clearing their path to solutions.

Culture is created through the stories your team tells. The stories a team recalls and shares about itself serve as a continual reminder for everyone of why they’re there and what makes the team special; they reinforce the foundations of a business and the aspirational elements that tie people together.

Thank you to the books' publisher for sending me a copy of the book.

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