I'm afraid to lead!

Most people who know me know that I like to take risks!  I do not take the "death-defying," "no-holds-barred," stupid type of risks, but those of a more calculated nature.  Some may argue with me, but the adventure that I seek is not intended to put my life and health in danger, it is merely to make my life a little more interesting.  That is why one of my hobbies is rock climbing! I love the energy and excitement of meeting the challenge of "making it to the top" brings me.

Some of the places I have climbed are in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Utah.  Each have had their own beauty and challenges.  Their is something exhilarating about being outdoors in God's beauty, setting goals, meeting the physical and mental challenges, and giving your all in the adventure.  One of the places that I enjoy climbing is Devil's Tower in Wyoming.  (For those a little older, you will remember it as the place where the aliens' land and take Richard Dreyfuss up in their "mother ship" in Close Encounters of the Third Kind)  It is a beautiful and weird looking remnant of the core of an ancient volcano that rises over 1,200 feet above the ground.  I can remember visiting this National Monument as a kid and looking up at its grandeur, never imagining that one day I would want to CLIMB it!

As a climber, I returned years later only to be met with ambulances and rescue workers in the parking area below.  A climber had fallen and they were there to literally "pick up the pieces."  Needless to say, I was FREAKED OUT!  The next morning my friends and I set out to climb the Tower and my legs and hands were shaking with fear as we scrambled over the rocky terrain to where we would begin the technical ascent.  I was chosen to LEAD the first pitch and cautiously began to climb, carefully placing my gear.  As I inched my way up, I began to doubt my physical fitness, my emotional stability, and my wisdom.  After struggling up about 100 feet of the climb, with my climbing partners waiting to follow, a storm approached in the distance.  We had to "bail!"  Rain and lightening are not a climber's friends.  I quickly descended to those below and we rappelled the rest of the way in the wind and rain as our climbing was washed out.  A mixture of relief and disappointment washed over me as we packed up our gear and began the long drive back home . . . I felt like a failure.

A little over a year later I returned with my son and the help of a climbing friend.  This time I was determined to conquer my fear, meet the challenge, and make it to the top of the Tower.  My fears actually motivated me to train harder, but I still had my doubts.  I will never forget the start of that climb.  Still nervous and my hands shaking again, I once again began to move upward.  A couple hours later . . . we made it to the TOP!  It was an amazing feeling in stark contrast to the year before.

Leadership is like that!  It is an adventure that brings with it fear, adventure, excitement, disappointment, failure, and success.  The problem with some leaders is that they let their fears keep them from taking the "calculated" risks necessary to experience the exhilaration of success.  They never achieve all that is possible, because they are afraid of failing, looking silly, being ridiculed, or being blamed.  Bear Grylls, of Man vs. Wild fame says, "Fear and courage are opposite sides of the same coin."  You cannot have one without the other.  In order to be a courageous leader, you have to face your fears, not eliminate them.

What are your fears? What is it that is keeping you from moving forward with your plans, your dreams, or your ideas?  After you have done the hard work of preparation, are your hands still shaking?  Good!  In climbing we say that fear of heights is a good thing, it will keep you attentive, keep you checking and double checking your systems, and keep you from taking UNNECESSARY risks.  You will never eliminate your fear of falling, but you shouldn't let it keep you from the adventure of reaching the top either.  A good leader will have those times when they are afraid to lead.  A GREAT LEADER will have the courage to lead in the face of their fears.