THERE IS MORE TO LEADING THAN CAPTURING THE WIND

Every team needs a leader – but rarely can one individual set the course, trim the sails, maintain direction and stabilize the ship by him or herself without the help or assistance of others.  True leaders emerge during times of trouble, turmoil and strife – riding the strength of their convictions – as they leverage the abilities of others to accomplish exponential multiples of what they could have achieved by themselves.  While there should be very little difference in one’s leadership style when enjoying success OR facing unexpected hurdles, far too many “competent” managers take full responsibility for accomplishments while blaming mistakes on the actions (or inactions) of others rather than sharing credit for things done well and accepting responsibility for unwanted or unintended consequences.  A good manager assesses his or her situation, gathers metrics that explain or clarify what has happened in the past and plots a course that will build upon what has proven successful (or been demonstrated to fail) so as to minimize risk and maximize the potential of positive results.  A good leader bends to fit into their surroundings rather than standing firmly against life’s storms.  An exceptional leader utilizes all the resources at his or her disposal to ensure success, safety and continued progress rather than seeking personal praise and short term-gain (popularity, acceptance, being “liked”) while pursuing excellence. 

Leadership is like a ship at sea as decisions made and actions taken need a form of propulsion (to make them move forward), a means of stabilization (to keep them on track), a method to control direction (to ensure they do not drift aimlessly) and a way to see beyond the horizon (to safely travel a charted course) in the pursuit of a not yet realized (but well planned and intended) destination.  When setting and communicating a course of action, a Leader must take responsibility for his or her actions AND the consequences of the team’s actions by taking ownership of a situation rather than blaming another for an unfortunate circumstance – accepting and facing reality while constantly pushing towards an anticipated destination.   He or she must act as a sail by capturing the wind to push the team forward – anticipating and avoiding changes in the winds that could disrupt progress.  Without a sail (or motor, for the less classical thinker), a ship will drift endlessly upon the currents having no control of its motion or expected results.  A sail pushes a ship forward much as a good leader encourages forward progress by recognizing and anticipating the contributions of each member as the team progresses towards a final destination.  A sail does no good if left folded for, no matter how much good a sail COULD do, if it is removed from its proper place on the mast of a ship no intentional progress will be made.  Similarly, if a leader spends time collecting data points and focusing upon what has happened in the past at the expense of what could (or should) happen in the future it is like setting a folded sail upon the deck of a ship with no intention of rigging it to the mast.  The means for success may be within reach but when active and decisive leadership is missing, a team will wallow and drift aimlessly before eventually (possibly) reaching a destination (which is often unplanned, unexpected and less than ideal) than was anticipated. 

A ship needs both a rudder and a keel in order to “stay the course” as it progresses forward.  Without some form of steering a ship cannot turn – and while the quickest path between two points IS a straight line, life rarely provides unobstructed access to our goals.  Without some kind of stability – a keel or ballast beneath the surface – a ship will tilt, lean and possibly capsize before it reaches its destination.  A Leader must ask the right questions when investigating a situation – listening for useful input from others – while steering around obstacles (or correcting missteps) in the pursuit of a final objective.  A Leader takes his or her personal obligations (and credibility) more seriously than his or her personal work expectations.  Anticipated or planned objectives invariably change but a course charted by intentional thought and navigated with integrity can lead a team through any unexpected obstacle or unwanted disruption.  Trust is not earned easily will be granted when those being led see an individual consistently demonstrating through his or her life the ability to maintain control and provide the stability needed to keep a team on course.  While taking the easy road that needs no navigation or situational stabilization (allowing unequitable situations to exist within a team or partially concealing a truth) may be less painful and create fewer short-term disruptions or distractions than would direct confrontation, individuals preferring to dodge responsibility for their choices and actions will never be seen as credible leaders when given the opportunity to lead.  Straight and narrow paths through waters having no turbulence are rarely encountered in life yet those that PROVE themselves credible tend to develop the “hands on deck” that will make any rough water much more navigable.

A ship cannot travel forever without stopping for replenishment.  While a sailboat needs only the wind to move forward and a nuclear-powered ship could theoretically travel nearly forever, both have to stop at some point to resupply.  A ship does not typically reach its final destination by accident or without the ability to seek safety from the elements to resupply and rest its crew or – regardless of the ongoing ability of propulsion – the journey would be fraught with danger and distress.  Ships need an anchor to secure them while considering a new course BEFORE venturing forth if a destination is to be reached with maximum efficiency.  Likewise, a team needs “an anchor” to hold it back long enough to examine how it must proceed as it seeks new and innovative routes to accomplish its assigned objective.  Fools rush in – leaders step back so they can understand what was done, why it happened and what could be done differently BEFORE pushing relentlessly forward.  UNLESS a leader can identify sails, rudders, keels and anchors within his or her team – accepting each part’s abilities to contribute and limitation that keeps it from acting independently (in order to augment it with what is needed to ensure success) – the path taken will never be traveled without tragic mishap.  

A great leader may serve as the sail to his or her team – capturing the wind and transforming it into the propulsion needed to reach a destination – but must also recognize the necessity of stability, direction and the time for reevaluation if he or she hopes to be successful in moving effective problem resolution and the intentional accomplishment of our objectives.  Crisis becomes the testing ground for leadership excellence – one can either hold fast by creating, examining and reviewing metrics that clearly define what has been done in the past OR one can set sail while maintaining stability and establishing a course of action that will demonstrate confidence and ensure credibility and take intentional action that will initiate movement AWAY FROM what always was TOWARDS what could be but has yet to be discovered.  The decision (and the differentiation between GOOD and GREAT) is entirely up to the leader to make and express to his or her team.