I recently went swimming with my kids in some cold river water beds in Oklahoma. My boys are 5 and 3. They trust daddy. It is funny swimming in a river. The current is deceiving. My boys are learning to swim, but they are not that great. Instead, they get on my back and rely on daddy. It is hard work swimming against the current with a kid on your back.
As I watch people struggle and get outside their comfort zones, they are grabbing for something to help them against the current. Grabbing onto their own abilities is too daring. Instead, they look for the strong, the decisive, the leaders. In leadership, if we are not careful, we could be carrying a lot of adults on our backs. In times of uncertainty people like to push responsibility, adversity and struggle onto others. This is why leaders ultimately win. They not only have the broad shoulders, but they pay the price others will not. They push ahead relying on their ability in uncertainty. They assume responsibility rather than seek to blame.
While others are trying to push their load onto whoever they can find to carry it, stop the weakness and step into leadership. Lead by carrying your own load and assuming responsibility. It gives you entrance into the ranks of leadership.
Don,
Great article. I’ve found that most of the time people are so afraid of failure that they won’t find a way to be a better “swimmer”. I struggle with it each day, because the challenges never stop. You can never attain perfect leadership, because it changes every time you overcome a new challenge. I think true leadership is understanding the changing nature of our lives, and accepting that change on a daily basis.