KAIROS – “Reaching For The Brass Ring”
Have you ever had the feeling of missed opportunity. That fleeting moment when the “brass ring” was within your grasp, but you just didn’t reach in time, or at all.
The Greek word “chronos” means chronology, and refers to linear, or chronological time. Kairos, however, refers to the recognition of a unique moment in time during which an unexpected opportunity appears from one, or more, circumstantial events for which there may be no immediate explanation and that may not occur, again.
Art was the property manager for a large California title company. He had contacted me not too long after an industry speaking event where I had made a brief leadership keynote presentation. The intent was to discuss the company’s landmark property in Oakland, California which they were planning to sell. We met there, and I was accompanied by a close friend who was the managing principle of a large and highly respected regional commercial real estate company. We intended to co-broker the listing if we could get a representation agreement, and I agreed to let him test drive a new sales presentation program using software that he had recently acquired.
Until our meeting, I was acquainted with Art only through our telephone conversations. When he and his administrative assistant entered the conference room they appeared to have come directly from central casting. Art was a tall imposing man with sandy blond hair who resembled Robert Redford on steroids. She was blond, short, full-figured and wearing a knee length red dress with matching red-rimmed glasses reminiscent of 80’s television talk show personality Sally Jessy Raphael. When she sat down much of that full-figure came to rest on the conference table.
It turned out to be one of the most embarrassing moments of my professional career. My friend was so poorly prepared that even I wasn’t sure what he intended to accomplish. Throughout the presentation Art shifted impatiently in his chair while his assistant went out of her way to exhibit body language clearly intended to express her utter contempt for our presence. Occasionally we would all make very uncomfortable eye contact, and I fully expected the meeting to be terminated at any time.
Somehow the presentation finally stumbled to a conclusion. The assistant immediately left the room as Art’s mood suggested there was every reason to believe the meeting was over. We were all standing to leave, and my friend was still fumbling with his computer when I had a “kairotic” moment.
I recalled that Art had stated several times during the meeting that we were there only for the exchange of marketing information, and that he had no intention of entering into a listing agreement at that time. However, at that moment I suddenly knew he would. Art had told Coldwell Banker Commercial, Grubb & Ellis and all the heavy hitting regional brokers the same thing. Why was he talking to me?
I could reveal the details, but before we left I had listings which included that building and two more.
During a personal services career spanning more than 30 years I have discovered that all great leaders reach their goals through a leadership process intended to create a transformational intimacy that leads to a moment of “Kairos”. While the principle of “Kairos” is often associated with a premonition, intuition or even a hunch, I have learned that Kirotic moments are most often inspired through careful preparation for the moment of encounter. The inspirational leaders are fully knowledgeable and immersed in the surrounding environment. They are prepared to recognize when the situation is providential in order to take advantage of it.