The Groundhog Day Effect

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By paying attention to our moment-to-moment experience, we discover we have a wide range of options rather than restricting ourselves to our worn-out, habitual responses. We can generate new ideas, new thoughts, and new behaviors.

Can you give me an example?

Every day when we walk into the office we can press the reset button and start again. We can choose to carry on from yesterday and be angry with the COO, or we can press the reset button and listen to their concerns with empathy. We can choose to learn new skills and techniques, or stay stuck in what worked for us 10 years ago yet now delivers diminishing returns.

The most successful and fulfilled people I know tend to have the widest range of strategies, tools, perspectives, and skills. Like Phil, they focus on changing themselves rather than trying to change other people. They are more resourceful and able to find creative solutions to any challenge they face. Creativity begins when you simply make small adjustments to your daily routine, and start each day as a new opportunity to recreate yourself — like Phil does.

And is there anything we can learn about leadership?

It is only when Phil becomes compassionate and devotes his life to serving others that he breaks out of the loop and discovers his authentic power and joy. He becomes emotionally engaged with life and other people and lets go of his need to manipulate the world around him. I believe this offers a profound lesson to leaders.

So how do leaders emulate Phil's transformation?

In the final chapters [of my book] I show how the same limiting patterns that hold us back as individuals also hold back organizations and governments. In particular, I demonstrate the damaging cycles that prevent us from tackling climate change and other environmental problems. So, I recommend leadership that has a triple mission to integrate personal, organizational, and environmental or social progress.

I am convinced that leaders find meaning, purpose, and fulfillment through serving a great cause which inspires them. I found such a cause in confronting the environmental challenges we face. After teaching at Oxford University for five years, I have set up three new environmental businesses in the U.S. and Europe with friends who are passionate about the environment, too. I try to apply the ideas of the movie to articulate a vision, set of values, and culture that helps people to make the shift that Phil does in the movie. When in doubt, I always ask myself "what would Phil do?"

How can we reach you?

I can be reached at www.paulhannam.com.

Marshall Goldsmith, who writes Marshall and Friends every week for BusinessWeek.com, can be reached at Marshall@MarshallGoldsmith.com. He provides his articles and videos online at MarshallGoldsmithLibrary.com.