Have you ever noticed that once you're focused on something, you start seeing it everywhere?
As I've been coaching leaders who are building new skills, navigating unfamiliar territory, and learning to become comfortable being uncomfortable, I've noticed some surprising parallels in unexpected places.
Most recently, it's been learning Mahjong. Really.
At first glance, Mahjong and leadership seem to have very little in common. But the more I play, the more parallels I see.
What stands out most is the number of paths to success. In Mahjong, there are dozens of possible winning hands. In leadership, there are countless ways to build a successful team, solve a problem, or achieve a goal. Rarely is there only one right answer.
But the challenge isn't simply making a choice. It's making a choice while staying aware of what's happening around you. In Mahjong, success depends on paying attention to what others are collecting, discarding, and pursuing. In leadership, it depends on listening to and understanding your team, your customers, your competitors, and the environment around you.
In both, you make decisions with incomplete information. You adjust as circumstances change. You balance analysis with action. And sometimes you change direction entirely.
The more I play, the more I'm reminded that success (or winning) is rarely about finding the one right path. It's about making the best choice you can with the information you have, then listening, learning, and adjusting as the journey unfolds.
It's interesting how often the lessons we need professionally show up in our personal lives.