June 17, 2015

Choosing hills

Hills

Wouldn’t it be lovely if everyone agreed? If your thinking was so clear and compelling that as one, they all stood up and marched up that hill, before you even asked.

It doesn’t happen. They have questions and qualms. Is it the right hill, the right plan, should we risk it, can we do it, won’t we look foolish if we can’t? If you’re lucky, they’ll help. If not, they may follow or anchor down.

Difficult projects – you know, the ones worth working on – are hard. There is no obvious way through the mountains to the green pastures beyond. It is a risk. There may be casualties. You can’t know what you don’t know. You will lose your way. The storm will beat you back. You will need grit and determination and belief.

There are endless reasons not to try.

And in the face of all that, leaders choose to go up hills because they want to, not because it’s easy or obvious or everyone says so. Not because it’s safe.

Leaders make things happen – everyone else is a helper, a follower or an anchor.

Skippy Strategy: Find leaders to follow or helpers to help. Everyone else … show them the way.

Category:
Leading