Chris Cancialosi*, Managing Partner and Founder of gothamCulture, is embracing possibility in every single moment. His military service in Iraq taught him that life is fleeting and each choice matters. He lives his life with a sense of passion and urgency that are uncommon and he is the reference point for the expression the rest of us use: if-only-I-could-bottle-that-energy. He founded an incredibly successful consultancy through which he and his team create cultures of fulfillment for their clients and their own organization. These are lessons from Chris’ abundant story:
- Live Fully and Keep Doors Open. Chris says he doesn’t live his life in separate, discrete compartments. Everything blends together between the company he runs, his family, and all his activities. He views everything as possibility and his toughest challenge is to saying no. Luckily, he has a seemingly unending supply of energy so he doesn’t have to say no too often. Saying no, he says, is like closing down possibility so he says yes a lot. And it works for him. He keeps the doors of potential open. For him, there is no such thing as work-life balance, in fact the concept makes him cringe. It’s all just life and about living it fully.
- Choose Wisely. When he was in Iraq, Chris learned how fragile and precious life can be. It’s this perspective that he brings to everything he does. We all have a limited amount of time and Chris wants to make every second count. He consciously and actively chooses where and how he spends his time.
- Be Consumed. Chris is regularly consumed by his work – in a good way. He loves what he does and he believes in it. When we are working on things that matter to us, they are consuming and energizing. The key is to find the source of the passion and invest completely in that thing.
- Be Loyal. Chris says that one of the best parts of his military experience was being responsible for people and experiencing the loyalty of the team. Chris brings this same loyalty and commitment to his role as a leader of his company. He knows families rely on gothamCulture’s success and he leads with this in mind.
- Be Transparent. Chris has created a company in which transparency is the rule. The financials are available to employees. Compensation plans are open. Work is shared amongst the team members. This transparency has created a culture of empowerment, accountability, and choice. Employees are well informed and can make their own determinations about how they devote their time and how much money they make as a result. It is a company where employees’ investments are directly related to the gains they reap – in terms of compensation, mutual learning, and growth.
- Be Humble. Chris says that his fundamental assumption as a leader is that he doesn’t have all the answers. “Adults don’t need to be micromanaged,” he says. Instead, he gives people plenty of autonomy. He manages the overall performance of the company and employees manage their own performance as important parts of that whole.
Chris thinks of a productive future, versus a random future. His advice? Don’t spend a minute on things unrelated to your goals. Point of fact: It was news to Chris that the Seattle Seahawks went to the Superbowl this year. How did he miss this detail? Partly because he doesn’t have cable TV. He doesn’t have time for it. Chris is living in alignment with his goals. Best of all, his energy is transformative for his clients and his team. It brings out the best in those around him – which is surely a form of bottling all he brings!
*Chris Cancialosi is Managing Partner and Founder of gothamCulture. He lives in Bainbridge Island, WA.
Would you like to tell your story? If so, let me know by emailing me at tbrower108@gmail.com. Why? One of the foundations of Bringing Work to Life is abundance: the idea that it is possible to find fulfillment, have it all, and avoid the trade-offs between work and life. After all, work and life aren’t separate things to be placed in containers, but part of an integrated whole of a satisfying life. Another foundation of Bringing Work to Life is the idea of multiple right answers. As we’re all seeking ways to bring work to life – and bring life to work – we can learn from each other’s unique solutions and stories. I’d love to learn about your story!
Tracy Brower is the author of Bring Work to Life by Bringing Life to Work: A Guide for Leaders and Organizations.