HOW CAN ONE LEAD FROM BEHIND?

I have found that several kinds of leaders exist – all effective in their own way yet all very different in the way they lead.  I have seen those that lead from behind – that push others to where they wish them to be – often hiding behind the throng as if they are seeking protection from the resistance that comes when new initiatives are advanced against a traditional, “set in its ways” establishment.  I have seen those that interact with their team but fail to provide direction or initiate change as they share successes and blame equally – often driving decisions down to the lowest common denominator so that no one individual will be held responsible for failure (insuring that no one individual will receive recognition or praise).  I have seen those that lead from the front – that cast a vision as to where the team should go, move ahead to clear the path of potential hazards, and wait for the group to catch up before proceeding forward – living the example that they would like to see assumed by those they lead.

Leading from behind is like trying to push a string uphill.  It is almost impossible to keep a string straight and moving in one direction when applying pressure from behind (unless one adds a wire or some other outside strength to keep the string from bending).  Try dumping a glass of water on a marble counter and pushing it water towards a sink.  The water spreads out uncontrollably in all directions, eventually making it to a final destination only after it has moved far outside of its initial path and spread far afield from its initial and inevitable end.  Leading from behind is like trying to herd cats – you may move a group forward but it will be from a point of chaos rather than in a structured order – from uncontrolled havoc rather than anticipated and planned intentional actions.

Joining the group to lead is OK if you are a goose – for the lead to a migrating flock changes as if with the wind – but such interchangeable leadership is rarely synonymous with greatness within society.  In order advance as a unit, someone must step away from the pack.  Someone must be willing to step forward so that others might follow or the things that have always been done will continue to be accomplished (though, perhaps, more efficiently due to repetition) and the roads that have always been travelled will continue to be taken (though, perhaps, with less risk as all the twists and turns are anticipated).  Pack leaders tend to hold on to security but rarely realize innovation.  They tend to find comfort within their temporary “known” rather than stepping towards a yet to be defined “unknown.”  They may share a common goal and objective with those they lead but often find their successes are but mediocrity as they seek to avoid failure (rather than seeking to grasp success.)

Groups that move ahead as a singular unit due to the intentional actions of a leader who identifies goals, sounds the charge, then pulls the troops forward as they follow his or her lead find great success.  When objectives are clearly defined and communicated - with responsibility and accountability assigned to individuals willing to embrace failure’s fall–out while liberally sharing the praise from success, no objective is impossible – no mountain too high to climb nor valley from which to rise.  A group can model and assimilate the successful behavior of a leader much more easily than it can assume success from imposed directives coming up from the rear.

We must “lead, follow or get out of the way” as we move through life.  Following rarely makes waves and does not produce new or innovative things but can accomplishes those basic things that need to be done in society that provide security, consistency and (often) rewards for those setting the goals and leading.  Getting out of the way simply removes a barrier to success – it rarely allows one to enjoy individual rewards or accomplishments as stepping aside simply avoids or delays our confrontation of obstacles placed in front of us that keep us from those things we wish to achieve.  Leading allows us to determine our own path – to find our own way (be it good or bad, positive or negative) as we seek to accomplish great things.

It takes a village to raise a child.  Perhaps we would all be better leaders (and ultimately lead better lives) if we realized it takes more than a village – it takes the cumulative efforts of all those around us being focused into a singular point of energy – to achieve greatness.    Greatness comes to those willing to lead – success often comes to those willing to learn as they follow.  

TURN! TURN! TURN! – A SONG OF BIBLICAL PROPORTION GIVES APPLICABLE AND APPROPRIATE ADVICE TODAY

The sequence of words within the lyrics of a ‘60’s era song (Turn, Turn, Turn by The Byrds) are rearranged from their original order but taken almost verbatim from Ecclesiastes Chapter 3 – traditionally ascribed to King Solomon. Far too often we see life as a series of dead ends, lost opportunities and hidden darkness rather than emerging light shed upon unlimited potential.  The song, often used to promote peace while denouncing war during the Vietnam era, tells us there is… 

• A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, a time to reap that which is planted
• A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up
• A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance
• A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away
• A time to rend, and a time to sow; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak
• A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together
• A time to embrace, and time to refrain from embracing
• A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace, and, above all
• To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens

I recognize that I think differently than most so should not be surprised that, among other thoughts and emotions, these words came crashing down upon me recently as I wandered through a large retail store about to close. The nearly empty racks – their substance stripped from them by customers eager to find a bargain – stand as barren as the carcass of a living creature pounced upon by scavengers seeking sustenance. The organization – once a provider of jobs for many – is but a final resting place for the few left behind to shutter its doors. The sight of an enterprise shutting saddens me because it brings to an end what were once fresh starts and new beginnings – darkening the bright promise of a dream as it mirrors the finality changing seasons bring as the time progresses.

In our personal relationships or the business interactions in which we participate, we need not dwell upon the loss each season’s passing brings for within each end we are offered hope of a new beginning. We can hold on to what will no longer be OR reach out to identify new dreams that will provide us with an opportunity to succeed anew. We can stay silent in our suffering as we mourn the past or speak out in anticipation of those things that have yet to be realized. We can cast away those things holding us back or gather up new opportunities upon which we can establish a new foundation. Our perspective determines how we embrace opportunities in life – how we “Turn, Turn, Turn” when given the chance to begin anew – and what will become of our dreams and aspirations as we move forward towards each new beginning.

The closing of a business can be much like the end of a relationship. No matter how much we may seek comfort in “what was” we cannot hide from the fact that changing seasons bring new tomorrows – an unknown that can result in either crippling anxiety or exhilarating opportunity. Our world is filled with choices that bring us new beginnings – that allow us to either “keep or to cast away” as we “plant or reap.” It is up to us to make the most of our opportunities – to continue turning from one to the next – if we are to thrive in the life we have been given.

Make the most of your life as you “Turn, Turn, Turn” from the close of each seemingly final chapter towards the opportunities you will find if you but open your eyes to the potential within each new horizon!

CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDES AND INITIATE ACTION TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Far too often we become disillusioned with what we have – seeking other rewards or greener pastures – without first identifying OUR OWN role in the disappointment we feel. People confronted with occupational crisis or personal catastrophe rarely ask themselves what they did (or did not do) to contribute to their situation. We tend to walk away from problems by blaming others rather than facing the reality that our own actions or decisions may be (or have caused) a major share of the problem. We turn our backs on relationships that have cooled rather than trying to feed the fire only to find that the smoldering embers we thought had died can often provide a much hotter flame when fanned than the roaring fire built and fed with kindling. We walk away from jobs in which we have proven ourselves to seek the opportunities provided by an unknown employer – often running from what we are leaving behind rather than anxiously seeking what we are about to find.

Some people seek something for nothing – asking not what they can do to contribute to the well-being of others but rather what others can do to elevate their own well-being. They expect others to provide for them – be it income, a job, an opportunity, comfort, warmth, security or a plethora of other things. They seek all that others have without working to possess it. They want all that others enjoy without saving or investing the sweat equity needed to earn it. They want all things possible handed to them without putting forth the effort needed to initiate change. Rather than lifting themselves up they seek to bring others down – to take what they feel they deserve from the efforts of others rather than contributing to what they receive through their own initiative. They seek change and acceptance from others when they have failed rather than trying to lift themselves up after acknowledging and owning their shortcoming. These people are part of the problem with this world rather than part of the solution – part of the illness we fight rather than part of the cure.

Some people seek to build upon “what is” as they pursue what is not yet theirs – often seeking to realize things or situations not yet fully imagined. They see life as opportunity rather than entitlement. They may fall two steps back with every step they take BUT never stop moving as they seek to accomplish their clearly established goals. These people accept responsibility for their actions should they contribute to failure, either learning from the mistake so that it will not be repeated or correcting the problem by addressing their individual shortcomings. They see a relationship as a living, breathing organism – something that needs to be nurtured through constant attention and feeding rather than allowed to drift aimlessly on its own without constant caring and sharing. They see our land of freedom and opportunity as a place where extreme individual efforts results in unprecedented reward – where nothing is outside the reach of those willing to work hard to bring possibilities to fruition. These people are part of the solution in life – part of what “could be” rather than rooted in “what is.” They seek (and eventually achieve) what is possible rather than being content to live out the probability that life holds for those willing to wait for what may eventually come.

In order to MAKE a difference in life, you must be willing to BE different. You cannot remain “one of the crowd” doing things the same way they have always been done if you expect change. If you feel the world owes you something you do not currently receive you should look to see what effort you have invested to deserve the reward you seek. If you think others are receiving the rewards you deserve you should try to duplicate their investment or replicate their efforts so you, too, might generate a favorable return (rather than expecting it to be provided to you by another).

Your future lies firmly within your own control, but the picture it holds may be vastly different based on where you cast your vision. Those looking over their shoulder tend to live in the past – finding comfort in what was but never realizing what could be. Those seeing their present as all they could ever need or want will rest on their accomplishments without reaching out to grasp the attainable rewards that might not yet be available. Those casting their vision forward – seeing the potential of where they are going as being well worth the risks – accept the challenges an unknown future presents as opportunities rather than threats. To make a difference, dwell upon “what was” only long enough to recognize the value your past contributes to the decisions you must make and the actions you must intentionally take to bring your future to fruition. Reach up as you reach out – lifting others with you as you climb the ladder of success – and the difference you make will be felt through all of time.

CELEBRATE INDIVIDUALITY

Books often celebrate being “the best” at whatever one does much more adequately than does life itself. Whether exhibited through sports or in celebration of creative expression, unique talents or gifts of individual achievement, people are fulfilled by the recognition they receive from others and (perhaps more importantly) from the satisfaction they derive from their own successes and accomplishments. Great books, however, rarely provide pure entertainment or escapism – they teach lessons through their insights and illustrations by providing examples of successful decisions (and the results of those choices) and the ramifications of poor decisions or inappropriate actions. We should pay attention to the lessons stories teach us as we chart a path – determine the directions we wish to take – as we travel through our everyday lives.

Some people seem able to accomplish any task, anticipate any challenge, and resolve any conflict without much effort. The Natural, a story about a baseball player born with raw talent to be the best before falling victim to his own success, leading to his discovery of truth and meaning in a life far different from that once imagined, epitomizes this type of individual. Very few “naturals” survive well in highly controlled environments, often labeled as “troublemakers” or “disruptive” within a structured workplace. Within relationships, “naturals” must develop opportunities to channel their gifts – be given chances to shine in the darkness – or they will (intentionally or inadvertently) reveal the inadequacies of those around them rather than building upon their intrinsic strengths. People must given the freedom to fail as they seek opportunities to succeed if they are to realize their innate abilities.

Identifying “naturals” can be a difficult task without providing an innovative environment that fosters (and rewards) an individual’s contributions through personalized (and meaningful) rewards. Without the freedom to expand their horizon, “naturals” often become bored (due to their ability to accomplish things easily), leaving them time to disrupt or disturb others. When you find a “natural,” celebrate your discovery by providing new and ongoing challenges that will allow his or her efforts to contribute to accomplishing things that will add to the “greater good.” If you ARE a natural, recognize that others may not think like you, experience life as you do, nor approach issues in the same manner – and that it is OK they are different. Remember that the broad parameters and boundaries you prefer might make tasks that are simple for you seem much more difficult for others who may have to remain focused on the “ends” if they are to establish the “means” to achieve results.

The Fountainhead details the struggles of an innovative young architect named Howard Roark striving for success on his own terms. Howard must leave the architectural program at college when faculty and administration member are unable to “mold” him into a “traditionalist” designing with columns, facades and acceptable concepts. Roark preferred to follow his own dreams – to design what he felt was unique and practical rather than what was seen as being functionally efficient others. Peter Keating, a classmate lacking Roark’s brilliance and love of architecture, gave his professors exactly what they wanted and graduated with high honors. In a masked celebration of creativity and individuality, Howard submits a radical new building design to a developer through the traditional Keating, seeking animosity in exchange for a promise to construct the building as submitted on the prints. During the construction phase, Peter allowed many modifications resulting in a building reflective of the gaudy architectural trends rather than the creative work originally proposed. Howard, in a fit of rage, destroys the project rather than allowing it to stand – refusing to compromise his efforts or to subvert his ideals.

While a “black and white” person like Howard may be difficult to work with at times (because of an unwavering quest to accomplish the goal without compromise or negotiation), one will ALWAYS know where they stand and what they might come to expect from him or her. In dealing with such a personality, be sure to understand the underlying “why” beneath their actions rather than simply taking actions at face value. We often find ourselves accomplishing great things that were not previously been deemed possible when we embrace creativity and exhibit individuality. We must allow the unique – the unproven – to have a place in our lives if we are to achieve greatness.

Another book written by Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged, is one of my favorite books about individual accomplishment prevailing at the expense of societal “good” gone too far. For those unable or unwilling to read a book, pick up the movies (both The Fountainhead and two parts of Atlas Shrugged are available). Either book would make a “great read” as you seek to become all that you can be! Join The Natural as he finds success, share Roark’s quest for perfection or allow John Galt to guide you through Rand’s eerie prognostication of our times. You will be transformed as the words jump from the pages to become indelibly imprinted upon your mind.

There are far too few Naturals or Howard Roarks in today’s world. I often look around to find a world of bottom line thinkers – of endless analysis intended to establish foolproof systems. I see a structured world that rewards accomplishment but penalizes creativity – that encourages “team-think” while negating individuality. In order to maximize potential we should consciously strive to celebrate creativity – to reward those marching to the tune of a different drummer. We should seek to dwell within “the possible” rather than living within “the probable,” constantly embracing innovation rather than accepting the status quo. While structure and systems may be necessary for business to survive, perhaps our economy would have a better chance at thriving if we dared to dream, seizing the opportunity to fail – to grasp success from the jaws of defeat.

Take the time to read a good book about creativity, individuality or accomplishment in the face of great odds or unparalleled objections. Given the choice between breaking a rule and breaking the spirit, I would choose to obliterate the rule rather than (even marginally) inhibit the spirit. What about you?

FIND THE REALITY BEYOND THE OBVIOUS WHEN SEEKING TRUTH

I read a newspaper article the other day that portrayed an obvious truth yet it left out much analysis as to WHY the story might be real. The story was about healthcare, stating that Michigan employers had quit providing insurance to more individuals than any other state in the country during the past ten years. We led the country for many of those years when it came to unemployment so would it not make sense that many employees lost their employer-provided healthcare benefits? Implied was that more employers in our state are discontinuing employer-paid health plans in response to the Affordable Care Act than in any other – but a little wisdom would validate this reality as being the result of our state leading the country in unemployment for many of these years (resulting in a loss of employer-sponsored health insurance). Further, news that our state has bounced back and is replacing lost benefits with new plans was strangely absent.

Why is today’s news created for us rather than reported to us – sensationalized and editorialized rather than honestly revealed? News is but one example of a trait running rampant within our daily lives. What would happen if we all took time to look past the obvious when we see or hear information – to see what might truly be behind the curtain as we seek what might hide just past the frame our mind creates around the real story that is often hidden beyond the initial picture we visualize?

A lighthouse can be a powerful sight against a stark blue sky. Beauty upon the rocks set against a calm sea in the background – perched upon a solid foundation built to survive the test of time. We could stop at that image if we wished – or fast forward to the purpose served by a lighthouse during a storm. We could enjoy the beauty OR appreciate it for the lifesaving benefit it provides when serving as a beacon leading ships to safety.

A pier can be a support or a gateway. Many would walk upon the surface of a pier and find the stability it provides as a platform above the sea. Shops fill its surface or meals be caught from its edges. A dock is a foundation from which the world can seen – to which ships can be moored allowing visitors to come and go. Much truth can be found if a pier is examined from beneath its surface. Strong supports frame the world beyond a pier – supports that hold it firm against the power of the tides. Taking time to look beneath the surface of a pier can provide a new perspective to life – finding strength beneath the obvious that makes us what we appear to be.

A view from a seaside resort can reveal beautiful trees and the depths of a powerful ocean. It can show us rocky cliffs or sandy beaches – lush gardens or seemingly endless horizons. We can soak in the obvious beauty around us or frame it within our minds to capture it for all times. We can (as I once heard a fellow tourist say) “see as much as we can in an hour then move on” or we can take our time to soak in the beauty of our surroundings and find all that nature might reveal. We can hurry through life as we take pictures in our minds that might remind us where we were or we can take the time to create a masterpiece – painting each moment in time as if it were the beginning of an eternity (which, indeed, it is and should be!).
 

Life and relationships are much like the snapshots and thought fragments presented here. We can take what comes to us as it appears to be or we can find meaning behind the moments. We can accept what seems apparent or look beneath the surface to find what is being hidden by the obvious picture we see – what might be causing the action or creating the issue rather than focusing on only upon the results. Far too many relationships seem to be cursory affairs viewed like the news rather than a part of an ongoing continuum – brief instances that become history rather than a foundation upon which a future will be built. Let the circumstances of each situation serve as a platform from which to launch new experiences rather than a cliff from which to dive – a beginning rather than an end. Live each day as if it were the last you might be given rather than trying to end each moment in total and ultimate control. Seek not that which you know – strive to understand that which is a mystery. Refuse to accept the narrow frame that many build around their finite and defined reality. Reach for the picture beyond the frame – for the potential beyond the probable as you seek to fulfill the potential within each relationship you share.

IMPLEMENTING CHANGE

What makes us decide to do things differently – particularly if the things we are doing provide us comfort or a measure of success? What makes us wander from what is familiar to us in search of unknown opportunities? If we wish to move beyond our current station in life – expecting something different to result from our actions and choices – we must start by deliberately considering of an intentional act that, when taken, will forever change us. When we consider the ramifications of changed behavior and act to implement change we redefine where we are going (one should not expect similar results when doing things differently) by intentionally altering where we have been and what we have done while moving relentlessly towards where we want to be.

Far too often success breeds arrogance, which leads to complacency. If we ride a single success beyond its effective lifespan – thinking “our way” is the only way – someone else will either assume our market share (by improving upon what we do), force us to change (by revealing the shortcomings of our established approach), or disrupt our stagnant but comfortable existence (by offering a more exciting option). We must actively appraise the things we do – both within our work and our personal relationships – retaining those things that contribute to our growth and replacing those that hold us back. By continuously analyzing both our strengths and weaknesses, identifying the things that hold us back and leveraging those that pull us forward, we can remain an effective contributor to the life around us.

 

Recognizing that change is the only constant in life is necessary if we are to enjoy the rewards that come from accepting the risks of change. We must learn to embrace the possibility of failure – recognizing that with failure comes learning which leads to growth. Success is not born through frantic movement without direction or purpose. It comes ONLY when we stop what we are doing – when we consider the many paths upon which we could travel – so we can begin doing something new by taking a new road in a different direction.

 

Whenever we initiate change, we must recognize and acknowledge three major factors - intentionally identifying and addressing their hold upon us:

• We must acknowledge where we have been, recognize what we have accomplished, and wish to be or do something different before we can start to travel upon a new path. How can we better serve our customers? What can we do to improve a relationship? Must we alter our behavior so that we can remain relevant within a changing world? Is there anything that we can do to strengthen another – or that we would be willing to allow another do to help strengthen us? We recognize the need for change when our goals or objectives have changed. We must consciously step from our original path onto one that will refocus and redirect our efforts if we wish to harvest the fruits of change. Before embarking on such a path, however, internalize that our desire to begin something new is stronger than our contentment with what we have – that moving forward provides more desirable rewards than remaining where we are.
• We must stop doing the things we are doing – that we have always done - no matter how effective they may have been in the past or how comfortable we might be in doing them. When we accept and acknowledge that change is necessary we must abandon the paths (and methods) with which we are comfortable, intentionally and deliberately walking away from the safety provided. A change in paradigm must often occur – walking away from “what is usually done and accepted by others” towards “what has not yet been tried.” A disciplinary procedure must not always include time off without pay (what is the value of suspension when an employee chooses not to work in the first place?). A relationship must provide all involved with a measure of satisfaction – building the esteem of all parties – or it is nothing more than a hollow structure built on shifting sand. How can a meaningful relationship be maintained if both parties want everything “their way” with neither willing to “walk a mile” in the other’s shoes?
• As we identify and abandon the habits and actions holding us back we must move forward in a way that produce positive growth and change – that rewards us for our efforts so that we will continue to reach for new horizons. We all have personal strengths – the characteristics responsible for any success we have achieved. Everyone can celebrate “peaks of accomplishment” in their past. Far too many, however, choose to rest within the quiet valleys beyond their achievements, gazing up and establishing value based on those things that were done in the past rather than on those things that have not yet been identified. In order to realize meaningful change we must identify the thoughts, practices and actions that brought us to our heights (to replicate them) while discarding those that brought us to our knees (to avoid their recurrence).

People must change more than their outward appearance if they expect their path to shift significantly. We often hear about “new and improved” products only to find nothing but the packaging has changed. Television networks frequently change the night that a failing program airs in order to gain viewers from a less competitive offering. If we are resolved to change we must consciously decide NOT to “stay the course” by innovatively clearing a new path into an unknown wilderness. We must acknowledge our past (both the wins and the losses) before we can define our present (from which we must move forward) if we harbor any expectation of creating a different future (that holds limitless opportunity). In order to initiate change it is important that we continually take stock of what we are doing and where we are going – then actively seek paths that will lead us from complacency to new destinations, new relationships and new opportunities. When we come to a fork in the road we must move forward rather than waiting for our path to be determined by someone else.  Once we identify our new direction we must resolve to move forward – for nothing will change until we consciously and intentionally move from where we are towards where we wish to be.

LIVING LIFE

Some people go through life without making waves. They follow the crowd and minimize the attention that making independent decisions or entering uncharted waters might bring. They take highly travelled routes to well known destinations, thereby avoiding unknown, unproven or untested territories. The compliant live a safe existence taking few risks while receiving occasional rewards. Seen by many as successful, these individuals act in a predictable manner to achieve accomplishments already reached and perfected by others. They are keepers of the status quo – willing to do whatever is required to maintain an existence offering much comfort with little risk. They establish a satisfactory and acceptable level of success while virtually eliminating the potential of failure. They rarely lose big within their sheltered existence – yet one might question how much can be gained if very little is risked. The world needs people willing and content to “do what is right and acceptable” as they fill defined roles and accomplish assigned tasks – but more than compliance is needed if we are to experience all that life might offer or fulfill the potential we all could realize.

I would prefer to associate with people willing to take risks – however calculated or intentional they may be – in order to accomplish new things and define new horizons. People who look at a sunrise as the beginning of an unknown adventure rather than the end of night’s darkness are visionary leaders. People who see what could be rather than live within what is – or what has been – have unlimited potential. I seek those willing to say “no” to what is acceptable and understood as they travel paths not yet paved while seeking destinations not yet finalized. I prefer to associate with individuals who recognize the crowd as a reality but refuse to be a part of it (UNLESS they choose to lead it to a new horizon). They see the sky as a possibility rather than as a limit. Theirs is a world of “what if” rather than “what is.” To these achievers, each new destination is but a resting place – a brief respite within a lifelong journey rather than a landing zone used to establish a permanent settlement. New beginnings are common to those seeking closure to what has been while seeking what might yet be. They are foreign to those finding comfort in what is – seeking shelter from the unknown within the well defined.

Life is a choice between two paths – one leading towards the sky, the other leading towards the valley. We can take the road most travelled and find comfort within the valley – find a proven lifestyle providing rich and predictable rewards – OR we can seek the rarified atmosphere of the mountaintops – find a new horizon in whichever direction we wish to look. We all choose which path we wish to travel – neither path being totally “right” or completely “wrong.” We live with our choices – hold fast to the possibilities (or the probabilities) that our actions dictate. Whether you are a seeker or a planter – a dreamer or a doer – if you invest all of yourself into your intentional actions you will receive back all that your choice allows – limited only by your own acceptance of (or refusal to accept) reality.