"When you do things right..." - Inspiration Nation: Episode 231

"When you do things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all"

This episode of the Inspiration Nation podcast features an in-depth discussion of a quote from Futurama: "When you do things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all."

The hosts explore the multiple layers of meaning in this quote, relating it to ideas of quiet leadership, influencing others without taking credit, and building a culture where people feel invested in the success of the group.

They discuss how to apply this concept both in coaching others and in leading teams.

If you're interested in leadership strategies focused on empowering others, this episode provides great insights and will inspire you to reflect on how you can lead from behind the scenes.


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Transcript

Lee Pearson-Kemp  0:00  
It's in the 230 somewhere. Anyway, we've got podcast to do. Inspiration nation. Hello, Lee camp here. We are back all three. Who's a Ryan and of course, Lee, for the podcast first time in quite a while we've all been together. We're now over the holidays. I've had a great time in Croatia. Joe has had a great time going round the whole of the Caribbean and Ryan is here too. I've been

Jose Noya  0:26  
to South Africa.

Ryan Boniface  0:28  
I that is true. Yeah. But that was I wasn't doing much holiday and I was working

Lee Pearson-Kemp  0:33  
slogging away, like the hero is. Anyway, I am going to it is time for my quote this week, which I want to get in. So mine comes from the fictional world I'm leading into this Joe blew my mind when he used Rocky. So I'm going for one as well. This is what I've loved this for years. And I actually caveat when I've used this many times to say that when inspiration comes from a cartoon, it's a cartoon that's recently been revived on a streaming service that may or may not be called Disney plus two, we want to take a guess to what the show is. I can do a little excerpt the theme tune if you'd like it goes dah, dah, dah, dah, dah. Dadda Dadda. The is it gonna be before my time? Oh, my God, Futurama comes from Futurama. Ah, that was an excellent job. So much. So I think the video might get pulled from YouTube for copyright infringement. So it's an episode in there's an episode of Futurama, I put a quote out there, we talked about it a little bit, where so Bender, we all know Bender the robot. There's an episode where he ended up getting lost in space. And he gets some sort of our gear sank on his stomach, and it grows into a little world in the world on its stomach. And I think that he's his God. And he tries doing stuff and not doing stuff. And it all goes horribly wrong. And eventually he runs into a celestial being that we can suppose might be the actual God. And he gets a bit of advice from the gods. And I'll give you the specific quote, and in the wider thing, where he says, when you do things, right, people won't be sure that you've done anything at all. Which I'm a big fan of, I really liked that, quote, the wider bid on it while benders unsure about what he'd done or not done in the world. He says, if you do too much people get depending on you. If you do nothing, they lose hope. But when you do things, right. People won't be sure you've done anything at all.

Jose Noya  2:31  
Like, does that remind you that thing is working? Yeah, no one sort of recognise it. I just

Lee Pearson-Kemp  2:39  
happen to Ryan, you totally screwed me there. By the way, I've had to just manually name tags around the thing, which would have looked horrendously unprofessional for those watching on YouTube. Right. So before I give you a bit more detail and context on that, what do you what do you think of my quote?

Jose Noya  2:55  
I did just say something around you know, that thing about when things aren't broken, you know, things are working perfectly on questions like magic. They don't do anything at all, it almost reminds me of that thing that things are working. You know, we do things right, who's working in it, so then people don't tend to notice. So no matter how hard you work, if you're doing it, right, you don't get recognised because the things work. It's like magic. Isn't it? Switch on electricity. Like, we don't know how well we do. I don't know how it works. But it happens. So we don't until it goes off. We don't think Oh, it's fine. And that means the hard work. And that's what I what I'm getting from it. So really, really like that. By the way. I think it's a really pretty good, quite, that's what it means to me. Anyone that throws over to Ryan.

Ryan Boniface  3:30  
I'm not gonna lie to you. I didn't hear the quote. Could you repeat it?

Lee Pearson-Kemp  3:35  
If you just if you go back and rewind diffuser, yeah. So Bender meets a God like spirit is finished a bit down on himself. And the specific quote is when you do things, right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all. And the next scene, I'll tell you this, so he does it. He's been off in space doing whatever, and he gets back to Earth. And there's a church and it's on fire. And this is amongst trapped in it. And I think the thing is that the bender would have just gone haha, chumps and walked away and left them to it. But he's like the car, God won't do anything for you. It's up to us to sort ourselves out, goes over freeze, whatever is in front of the door and rescues him from the church. And then it pans back up to God. He goes, when you do things, right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all.

Ryan Boniface  4:18  
Yeah, I think I actually see that as a compliment. Rather than anything derogative. Because you almost if you're working as part of a team where you're trying to do something or you're trying to achieve a goal, if you're not being mentioned, or you're not being brought up or issues aren't being raised or anything you've done, then you're doing exactly the role that you were asked to do. And you're doing it flawlessly.

Lee Pearson-Kemp  4:44  
Yeah, and I agree. I liked it. That's more my slant on it. And it's a lot of stuff. If you stick that phrase into Google, there's loads there's actually essays about this particular quote, and they and there's the there's the two they've said recently, lots of people like it, there's loads of different layers to it and one is is a bit like you reckon Joe is a hole? If it's broke, don't fix it. You know, do people really appreciate when someone does a good job? You know, I only get get attention when something goes wrong. Yeah, Dad. Yeah. Which is a real thing that does happen. But it's also a real thing. And it does happen. So how do you deal with that? And that's where I like it, like you said, right? There's a bit that actually, that's, that's where there's something for me and as far as talk to people is that in with motivation, where I've over the years, coached, and talk to people wherever else and sometimes people say, oh, yeah, but will someone you know what if someone else takes credit for it, how would they know I've done it, and that's, that's where I pull that quote, in. And I use it because actually, in the long term, if you believe that, if you're always present, when things are going well, as a one off, someone might not notice it, but it's a continuous thing. People do see that, you know, being being able to bring a steady presence to things being able to, and influence people being able to bring people in. And in fact, I'm going to do, I'm going to do Jose here, I'm going to bring a book into the screen. I bloody love that. But I thought you would How to Win Friends and Influence People. And one of the one of the things that said in there is let the other people feel like the idea is his or hers, which I really buy into if you're if you are a leader, if you want to bring people on board, if you if you want people to do the best job, you almost it's actually a skill, what you need to do is make people think it's their idea. Because if they bought into it, they think it's their idea. Or if they think they've contributed to the idea that you will be so much more bought into delivering it, then I've just been told to do it. And I like this is the thing I've used. I did it a few years ago, and I can reference it people at work where there was an ad and I pitched an idea. And there was as you get with new things, so people liked it. But there are a number of concerns around the sides. That's what we like it. But we're not sure about this and this and this, can you think about what you do with it? And no more than about two months later, that idea got pitch back to me. Like they were telling, you know, Oh, do we want to do dah dah dah dah, dah, dah, dah? How quick can you make it happen? And you can go two ways with that. There's almost like, Well, no, I told you this month ago, while you're telling me about it, or it's absolutely that's a great idea. Let me get on and do it. Because when you pitch an idea, or you want us to be able to do it, and actually the person tells you it like it's their idea. That is like the ultimate level of buy in ultimate level of buy in. And I do an Islamic studies show on the book. Is it Dale Carnegie? Is that how you say it, How to Win Friends and Influence People. I think we've got about three copies of this book in our house, by the way, it's everywhere, everywhere. Yeah. And I think that leans into it. That's what this is all about. And it's an intimate article, it talks about it, it's about quiet leadership, they call it and so there's you know, there's different styles of it. But quite often leadership fails when it becomes all about the leader. And you know, their credit for things and then being the focal point of what's going on. Whereas really they you know, from my view, you should be part of a team, you should be making stuff happen. And it is that when you do things, right, people don't know you're done anything at all, when it comes down to a culture, if you can build a culture, where people are willing to fail fast, not be afraid of trying things support each other when things go wrong. All of that is has to be carefully crafted. And it's a culture and quite often it is that comes from the top, it's leadership, you've got to craft their culture. But again, you've got to do it in a way that people don't know that you're crafting the culture. You can't tell people how to think you've got influence and how to think. And I really think that is the personification tricky word for me to say, of that type of mentality. And that's going to must be 20 odd years ago when I first heard that, and it really stuck with me. And it's always I say I use it as a coaching thing with people all the time to reassure them that that kind of quietly supporting behind the scenes, that's that's where the strength is, that's when you get results.

Jose Noya  9:01  
Love it, love it. You continue to say some stuff like that, I

Lee Pearson-Kemp  9:09  
want to know you go Joe, you go. Jump in one.

Jose Noya  9:13  
That's all I love this. By the way. I think it's really powerful. Like you said, I think coaching is all based around that when you think about it, when you're coaching someone, it's their idea. That's why it's so powerful. Because what do you want to do? How do you want to change things? What's your end goal, how you're going to get there, it's all about them and how they're going to get there. And so that's why that's such a powerful thing. We'll get an action plan like you, that will mean the past when we did the whole project is all that those steps and your only step because your idea right? The coaching just facilitates you getting that idea into the real world. And that's why I love it. And that's what I think so powerful. And so the other thing about quietly going about your own business and that you sit quietly in the background. Well that's really started we talk about stoicism, haven't we in the past and that's the real stuff. With stoic attitude, because stoics will do good things and won't need recognition, they'll just do it because they want to do a good job. And it's the outcomes that they see without people. That it's quietly like, like the sleep put the light switch on. But they're really proud of the fact that they put that in place. And that they don't need recognition for it, because they know, it's really helping people without that need, oh, are you convinced? They don't need that. And that's something that I've had to grow into as well, myself. And like, you know, having to like, like you said, Leave quiet in the background. And again, go back to those things that we talked about before about, you know, you can't control the stuff that's outside, you can only control what you do. But do it well do it in the background, do it with have been humble, and it will run with stuff like, and you want people to run with stuff, but people won't. You're absolutely right, people will not run with stuff unless they have some sort of buying into the idea that have some contribution. And that's why that coaching is so powerful. And what you taught that quiet leadership, which I've really, really loved was you talking about that book, the book, you know how to win friends and influence people, when I first saw that book, I thought it was a really well done, not the title of that. It's like almost trying to coerce people, whatever. But it's nothing like it's a fantastic book. And what I was gonna say about that was that Warren Buffett was gonna be still one of the was one of the richest people in the planet.

Lee Pearson-Kemp  11:20  
I think he's still up there. I

Jose Noya  11:21  
think he's still up there. He credits Dale Carnegie. So he doesn't have a university plaque on the back of his wall. He has a Dell Carnegie certificate, that you went to a quarter Dale Carnegie any credit step that him with his success. So that's how powerful we pay Carnegie is, and it's a beautiful book. It's a small book. It's a bite sized book. And it's wonderful. He's got some brilliant principles that you just highlighted in it. And lastly, going back to that quiet leadership piece, the last button with a quote, is good to great. And it talks about some of the companies that go from good to great are the leaders that are humble and actually get people to run with ideas and allow that fast fail, that actually had that place of, Hey, you don't need to be recognised that the leader doesn't want to recognise the leader wants to pick the people to take the recognition for the power. And that is one of the traits of those good two great companies, which you know, that sustained over the years. So this, I can see why. Now, when you say you on the internet, you've got lots of layers to it definitely has tonnes of layers to this particular quote that you said, and now you're bringing it to the table, it really does have those layers, isn't it, I love that. And that's my conclusion. And I really, really love that. I'm done.

Lee Pearson-Kemp  12:29  
Thank you, I like that. Mr. Boniface? Over to you.

Ryan Boniface  12:37  
I just like the way that the quote, kind of influences people. So not always have to take the front step is you don't always have to be at the front of something to be credited with something going well, or you don't, you don't have to be the person that flips the switch to make the whole, you know, the whole circus work if you like, it's, it's about being a sum of all the parts and working together with with people that all have a valuable part to play in, in any kind of process. And bring them along with you. And I think if you can lead and influence kind of, through people in the way that you two have, I've kind of described leading on from the quote, then you're kind of doing things right, getting people to think for themselves and develop themselves and come up with the ideas, essentially themselves, even if you are having to almost feed the seeds to them, if you'd like to let the the idea grow, then, you know, that's that's how we can all kind of what's the best way that we as as people want, as some of us, as managers, or leaders can influence the people beneath this to be kind of the next managers and the next people to step up.

Lee Pearson-Kemp  13:54  
See, I think lots of you know, lots of encouragement, reinforcement, you know, confidence building with people helping people when they've got challenges, just, the more you do that, the more you build people up, everyone gets invested in the results you get, and you touched on earlier, you get the best outcomes and the best if everyone is invested in it, if everyone cares if everyone feels like they're a part of the journey, that outcome is just better. And that sort of again, that culture it is be able to build and build and hopefully people pass that on. And again, probably without even realising it, but they pass it on and they pass it on and they pass it on. And it's I know some of it's a little bit idealistic, potentially, but you just, I think just each day if you try and do that, and I'll just you referenced earlier to the stoicism thing and I'll just which are probably three years ago as a word I'd never even heard. And I see it all over the place now and I just think more and more people are being coming aware of that and you know that fulfilment from within about things and being proud of what you do and just everything gets better. I think if you've got that sort of mentality

Jose Noya  14:57  
I just love this. Just a few things. Because you said within like that hole within bit where because it is an inside game, like people thinks the outside getting like about it, it's not it's about what do you personally get from that thing? Why are you doing the thing you're doing? Are you doing it if you want to get recognition, because you're doing it, you just want to recognition is quite empty, you're doing it because you actually want to do a good job you want to like, see other people's grow. In fact, Lee, you mentioned something today, which I'm getting inspired about someone close in your life has done something amazing that that's the sort of thing I love to see that that for me seeing these people do things like that was is just amazing. And the whole thing is, we can't do things, we can't do things on our own. We need other people to do stuff. All of us here. You can't do it alone. So we need other people to do the running, do running as well, we need to do but they also need to do it. So one of the things that I've always you know, well, we're current. I've said I want this thing certain thing to happen. And I said I can't do it on my own. I need like when I was away on my holiday, I said I need someone to help I can't do something, can you please help? Because I want this all to be everyone to own this. And so now people are starting to like do bits and pieces and own this. And always be really conscious about that. Because I said but I don't want to be the point of failure like because if it's reduced with you, you know, in the old days, I mean, there was cases where I've seen people hold on to stuff and I wouldn't be the single point of thing. And then the whole thing collapses because they're gone, or they leave or whatever. And always been really conscious even my early days. So if I die tomorrow, this whole thing just dies, what's the best no good. Everybody's got a contribution, everybody has an equal thing to do something like Like Ryan said, everyone's got a job in that sequence. And I go back to that Kennedy. I've been to Kennedy Space Centre recently. But I go back to that quote from Kennedy, which said, you know, what, do advices I'm helping someone get to space. And there's that whole thing about, you know, someone doing their job really well. And helping the big mission, right. And that's what I think this this, this, this whole quote, does really, really well then, and everybody, if you get the mission, right, everybody will want to help to do because actually, if people feel that own the mission or a part of it and feel they're part of something special, then you want to drive more to drive that forward and was a part of that everyone was a part of that special word, a special thing that you wanted to achieve other things that you're trying to bring, everyone owns a piece of it, everyone is GOT got a piece of it. And I think that's what's really important if one feels and has genuine part of it. And you know, when you see something happen, I tend to sort of throw it when I see something great happen, I tend to like, try and sell it that was really great. And try and give them that recognition because they need it. You know, they knew that whole thing was going to recognise them for doing that job. But it's not, doesn't sit with any one person, everybody should be doing this, everybody should be supporting each other, and not so much. It's just about making the most noise. It's about how people can push the ball forward in their own way. And how we do that and how we communicate how we influence and how we can get that big mission because the big mission, like getting to get into the moon, getting to Mars, whatever company you work for getting to wherever you want to take everybody, or every single level doing their job really well. And that doesn't happen. If you do the opposite of what you did the quote you said about not doing it well, and walking, wanting recognition, because it's not going to happen. Because you know, the whole culture is gonna move on to the culture to drive. This is so important. And he's such a brilliant, brilliant quote. I just love it. So, yeah, it's all about the within game. And one last thing is this, the Untethered Soul by Michael singer, and that talks about the inner game. Now I know I've said to you before that, I've had to, you know, in the past, I'd need recognition right? Back in my early days, that's no longer a case because that says all about the inside game. And what's your purpose? Going back to what you said before in previous episodes is about your purpose, what are you here to do, you don't need recognition for it because you know what you're here to do. And once you know that, you don't need that you just know what you need to do. And once you know that, you you automatically just just bring people and want people to succeed and have their own successes that you can recognise and they'll recognise you you'll recognise them but you don't want it you don't need it. If it happens is great, right? But that's things about that purpose and how we drive the ball forward and everybody discovering that purpose and this and through coaching help people discover that purpose right. And this what they start anyway I know we're gonna be deep there but it's like again, a lot of that inner work and I just love it. So thankfully I really have loved

Lee Pearson-Kemp  19:36  
excellent I'm obviously very pleased with that and you talk there Joe about supporting each other. If you want to be part of the community that supports you can join us there are likes flooding in on Tik Tok right now just look for Jose no inspiration nation, search on either YouTube or tick tock subscribe and you'll get told when we are going live. You can join us each and every week when we record live. And of course you could follow us on the platform formerly known as Twitter at listen to it and listen to I n and Jose noia kind of embodies in just take Jose noit inspiration nation into Google is all over the place on X on Tik Tok on MySpace on Bebo on friends reunited He is everywhere. Not sure there's one foil I think Frenchy reunited the first we'll go with that.

Jose Noya  20:25  
No. Is it MySpace? Was that one you missed off?

Lee Pearson-Kemp  20:29  
Yeah, I think that's I think that's my that's my favourite retro one to coin and of course, we are on the worldwide interweb as well at http double dot backslash backslash www integration nation.org UK merchandise over there T shirts, hoodies, mugs, sign up for Joe's newsletter all that good stuff and of course there are people out there they are trolling through the archives there are multiple listens to the old episodes going on every day at the moment if you like what you hear just shout Leave us comments on the episode wherever you're listening hit subscribe hit the five star button all of that stuff is what helps us grow and if you like it if we help tell friends and family as well. I'm all chilled out now. That's everything that's all good stuff.

Jose Noya  21:10  
Got some good likes on tick tock Thank you tick tock people love that love the Tick Tock is right yeah. First time back on tick tock live for a while and it was kicking off really well actually. So thank you everybody who's joined I was gonna say this any questions

Lee Pearson-Kemp  21:24  
maybe it's little bit of absence makes the heart grow fonder, that you've been gone for a couple weeks?

Jose Noya  21:29  
I'm gonna suffer the SAF like this slide. A lot of that stuff you can also question well done. I love that. Actually love that.

Lee Pearson-Kemp  21:40  
See? Yeah, throw in any questions wherever you are. And any final thoughts from you guys before I wrap this up?

Jose Noya  21:46  
For a minute? Yeah, like that. You've covered me off and coffee.

Lee Pearson-Kemp  21:53  
That's what she said. big takeaways

Jose Noya  21:54  
right. Anyway, we've got the big takeaways is that is that we're doing next let's

Lee Pearson-Kemp  22:02  
do that is what I'm doing next. I like how you kind of passively aggressively made sure I did that. Jose, what is your what is your big takeaway?

Jose Noya  22:11  
Just you don't need recognition, just know your purpose. That's what I've got from this episode,

Ryan Boniface  22:18  
Griff stuff. Everyone has a role to play.

Lee Pearson-Kemp  22:23  
Quietly influenced in his mind quietly influencing

Jose Noya  22:27  
love that was quite nice. What did little sing wasn't it isn't very succinct.

Lee Pearson-Kemp  22:32  
I'd like to on that theme. I'd like to congratulate Lee for his excellent quote this week. Let's recognise see that see the I see the Oh, yes. Thank you, everyone. We appreciate all the support for the show. We are willing to the two hundreds now. And I say just the more promotion people can do the better is we really appreciate that. And I will just sing us out with the Futurama and credits of doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo

Jose Noya  23:04  
doo you know what I love this because I was

Lee Pearson-Kemp  23:06  
gonna go straight into a three to one inspiration nation but he cut me off. He just can't stop.

Jose Noya  23:11  
Or sorry. Ryan to join in because while I'm cleaning those distinct you know, I don't really know.

Ryan Boniface  23:15  
I'm not sure I remember.

Jose Noya  23:17  
Do you know? Anyway? Anyway, I'm really impressed with Lee actually doing some singing because I thought you'd like that.

Lee Pearson-Kemp  23:25  
I thought you'd like that and

Jose Noya  23:26  
I'm really impressed because that's definitely an outside comfort zone. At least it's done right there. But he's actually singing on the podcast. I'm loving this already. This is just Yeah, I love it. It's pretty funny but I'll come back to another episode and if

Lee Pearson-Kemp  23:37  
you're not sure get it is Sony Audio Disney plus other streaming services are available 321 integration nation, nation catch you guys later