Saturday, June 27, 2009

Keep Still


What do you do when facing a particularly challenging situation or perhaps even great danger? Leadership can certainly include some of both. I thought of this topic earlier today as I prepared a Sunday school lesson from Exodus 14 where the Israelite nation is escaping from bondage in ancient Egypt. As they realize a well-trained army of elite chariot warriors is fast approaching, the people cry out in fear to Moses (and indirectly to Yahweh, their God). The response to their well-founded concern seems absurd. Moses says, “Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the LORD will accomplish for you today…the LORD will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.”

On my recently completed vacation trip to the Smokey Mountains of eastern Tennessee the men in our group were on a day trip to visit Cherokee, North Carolina. At the rest stop located on top of the mountain marking the state line we encountered a black bear that had decided to visit a trap located about twenty yards from the restrooms. The advice of “keeping still” made perfect sense in this situation as the bear made its way slowly toward the building where we were gathered to watch and take pictures. The photo included in this blog is proof of our encounter. Any sudden moves could have startled the bear to escape into the woods or to charge at us, I suppose.

But imagine the dilemma facing Moses and the 600,000 men plus women, children, and animals facing an impossible choice? To learn that an unseen force will fight for them must have been difficult to hear. Yet they did “stand firm” and “keep still” as God used natural phenomenon to confuse their pursuers and give them time to escape. Eventually the army perished in the sea.
As I pondered the connections between my bear story, the Red Sea rescue, and a possible leadership application I wondered what “keeping still” looks like every day in the workplace. Are you, like me, impatient at times to act when “keeping still” might allow a better solution to emerge? Do you assume the worst when sales slow and competition increases or might “keeping still” give you time to reflect on what is actually producing these trends and develop sensible responses? When was the last time you allowed a direct report or colleague to fight their own battles instead of intervening on their behalf? Might “keeping still” in those situations offer life lessons that could serve the person’s own leadership development?

Moses didn’t abdicate responsibility or suggest that his Hebrew people do the same. Instead he invited them to be prepared for a different approach, to see a new way, to act in faith. Eventually the people needed to walk between walls of water to safely escape the threat posed by the Egyptians. That took courage and required them to act. Leaders have many opportunities to do the same thing. Unfortunately the option of “keeping still”, even for a brief time, is generally abandoned in favor of decisive action. But the question remains, is there still that unseen force standing ready to fight for us? We may never know if we refuse to “stand firm” and wait.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Worth the Wait

Patience isn’t one of my nobler qualities. Just ask my wife how I react to being stuck behind slow traffic on a two lane country road. Or catch me on a busy work day when the computer decides to freeze in the middle of an important project (thanks Microsoft). I’m guessing that waiting is a problem for quite a few of my readers so maybe this is a timely topic.

This weekend we will be leaving for a nine-day vacation trip, something that has been in the planning stages for nearly two years. The anticipation preceding such an event is sometimes more fulfilling than the actual experience itself. Since I love to research and analyze options there have been more than a few evenings spent searching for the perfect lodging, mapping the route, and choosing a variety of venues for dining and entertainment. This trip will include three other couples so that has added special challenges to the process. When we “hit the road” on Saturday all the waiting will be over and it will be time to enjoy the results of my work.

What is worth the wait for you in your leadership role? Do you anticipate growing personally and professionally in the next twelve months? Is there a succession plan requiring your attention in the not too distant future? Where is your next big challenge coming from? Are you expecting to win a large contract, hire a key executive, present a proposal, or celebrate an employment or business milestone? Is the waiting exciting or nerve-wracking?

Sometimes the frenetic pace of our lives obscures the importance of waiting. We forget that farmers have little control over weather conditions and must patiently wait for the rain and sunshine required to nurture the seeds they have planted. We miss the subtle nuances of a spring breeze that turns the outstretched arms of the wind turbine on a distant ridge. We fail to appreciate the light years of travel that bring images to life amidst the mirrors and cameras of the Hubble telescope. Our rush to accomplish more with less doesn’t serve us well. It’s time for us to rediscover the gift of waiting.

Next week you will need to wait for a new blog entry. I’ve already decided a two week hiatus is needed to recharge my creative batteries and prepare me for another year of writing. You can learn some patience as well while you anticipate what I will write about when I post my next piece. Hopefully, like my vacation trip, it will be worth the wait.