It is a well-known fact that an able and intelligent human in possession of singular ambition must be in want of progress.
Hear! Hear! And yet, when it comes to the mechanics of seeking progress, said able and intelligent human tends to retreat to the distracting halls of day to day minutiae and the comfortable gathering spaces of known social circles.
A leadership mindset ripe for adventure
In short, the familiar eats the unknown for breakfast.
All great discoveries of humanity have been from those intrepid souls who held one quiet and wistful question:
“I wonder what if…”
It’s a sneaky little question with thunderous repercussions, if held tightly, and lightly, enough.
It is like catching hold of a dragon’s tail and hoping it’s a friendly variety.
You just don’t know what lies ahead. Allies or enemies? Success or failure? Reward or punishment?
Hold that dragon’s tail tightly enough to remain focused on the values and passion behind the Great Question, “I wonder what if…”.
Hold lightly enough so it does not become your nemesis, an achieve-at-all-odds obsession.
The dragon tail of possibility hovers above you, ready to carry you out to sea beyond the horizon. There are new lands, new peoples, new riches, new adventures waiting. And maybe some perils too.
But how do you latch on to the tail in the first place?
A leadership journey into the unknown
Assess your current shoreline.
The horizon is only ever visible from where you are now. So take a good look around. What is working for you? What are you putting up with? What is draining you? What is inspiring you? Where are you compromising too much? Do the behaviour and attitudes of others align with your own core values? On the whole, are you suffering or growing? What will it cost you to stay where you are? Ten years from now, what might you say about where you are now?
There is nothing like hot burning sand to get us hopping! The trouble is, sometimes we have been so long on the same beach, staring at the same horizon, we have not noticed how hot the sand is, or how burned our feet are.
Take a look now. Are your feet blistered and swollen? Then likely it’s time to look up and grab that dragon’s tail, circling above whispering to you, “I wonder what if…”
***
Related Articles:
Change Perspective for Better People Stuff Power
Boundless Leadership: Courage to Leave the Shore
How do you challenge your point of view?
***
About the author, Canberra leadership expert Zoë Routh:
Canberra based leadership expert, Zoë Routh, on looking beyond your leadership horizon.
Zoë Routh is one of Australia’s leading experts on people stuff - the stuff that gets in our way of producing results, and the stuff that lights us up. She works with the growers, makers, builders to make people stuff fun and practical.
Zoë is the author of four books: Composure - How centered leaders make the biggest impact, Moments - Leadership when it matters most, Loyalty - Stop unwanted staff turnover, boost engagement, and build lifelong advocates, and People Stuff - Beyond Personalities: An advanced handbook for leadership. People Stuff was awarded Book of the Year 2020 by the Smart WFM Australian Business Book Awards.
Zoë is also the producer of The Zoë Routh Leadership Podcast.