Like it or not, leaders walk a fine line…
In every interaction, every decision, every day.
If we don’t give the right attention to our steps
We can lose our way.
The fine line between recognition and manipulation
The fine line between teaching and telling
The fine line between encouraging and enabling
The fine line between caring and controlling
The fine line between empowerment and passivity
The fine line between inquiry and indecision
The fine line between community and competition
The fine line between patience and denial
The fine line between courageous and reckless
And so on.
The words we use
The behaviors we reinforce
What we notice
It all matters.
You’ve probably noticed that tightrope walkers carry a long pole.
They use it to adjust for errors, distractions or outside forces.
Knowing it will help them stay centered under stress.
Every leader needs a counterbalance.
Invite others to observe you and share honest feedback
Allow sufficient downtime to keep your mind alert
Learn to focus on your current task
Reflect before you act
Live your values
Listen carefully
Bring laughter into your day
Create a vision that guides your choices
Prioritize your important tasks before the urgent noise
You can try to avoid the fine line.
Or pretend it isn’t there.
But one day you may look back
And wonder how you came to be so far off course.
How have you experienced the fine line?
Where is your counterbalance?
A well-developed sense of humor is the pole that adds balance to your steps as you walk the tightrope of life. - William Arthur Ward
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