World championship surfer Kelly Slater once quipped, ‘Surfing is like the mafia. Once you’re in, you’re in. There’s no getting out.’ Slater’s quote may have been more true than he knew when considering the danger of broken waves. Do you know what happens when waves break below the surface? It creates a current under the surface that pulls hard away from the shore even while the waves above the surface push towards the shore. The crashing waves on top of the water and the current pulling you under the water and away from land are also known as an undertow.
Ask any experienced surfer, and they will tell you how dangerous the undertow is. Ask any wise leader, and they’ll tell you there is also a dangerous undertow to leading. Abraham Lincoln is credited with saying, ‘Nearly all men can endure hardship, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.’ Many well-meaning individuals experience an opportunity to lead like a sheet of ice - it’s smooth and cool, but most slip on it. There are some very natural undertows when leading others, and if a leader is not careful, they will find themselves a long way from the security of the shore.
Here are five undertows of leadership that you need to be aware of.
The undertow of PRIDE - C.S. Lewis believed that pride was not wanting something. It was wanting more than someone else has. The leader who gets pulled under by pride becomes consumed with being considered above everyone else.
The undertow EGO: Ryan Holiday wrote a New York Times best-selling book that sums up this dangerous leadership undertow. ‘Ego is the Enemy’. Dave Bader, founder of Bzzz Agent, told aspiring leaders to ‘ dig a hole and throw your ego into it. Pour concrete on top.’ The leader pulled under by ego becomes consumed with being at the center of everything.
The undertow of JEALOUSY: Few things are as unsavory as a leader who is jealous when others receive credit or attention for their efforts. Wise leaders use their platform to platform others. The leader who gets pulled under by jealousy is frustrated when others are perceived as above or in the center of the action.
The undertow of INFALLIBILITY: Leaders are often the ones with the answers. They have collected many experiences, degrees, and certifications that give them a robust library to pull solutions and resolutions. But, there is a big divide between being right and demanding to be correct. The leader who gets pulled under by infallibility will get many things wrong.
The undertow of ELATION & DEPRESSION: Methodist theologian Samuel Chadwick encouraged his parishioners, ‘When victorious don’t crow; when defeated don’t croak.’ Leadership has some privileges, but there are dozens of challenging responsibilities for every privilege. This out-of-balance reality makes leaders ‘yank the wheel’ when things go wrong and ‘take their hands off the wheel’ when things go well. The leader who gets pulled under by elation and depression must be surrounded by trusted, truth-telling friends to keep them steady.
Keep on, keepin’ on, friends!
Bite Down and Don’t Let Go is a collection of writings on relentlessly leading yourself and others well. Read it more here. You can listen to the Bite Down and Don't Let Go podcast here!
Dr. Chris Hobbs is an educational leader with more than two decades of experience. He’s earned a few degrees and won some awards. He’s happily married to his high school sweetheart, and they have three children. Life is messy and complicated most of the time. You can follow him on Twitter for inspirational thoughts and good laughs.
Comments
Post a Comment