Leadership Lessons: From A Canoe, What Not To Do!

 Leadership Lessons: From A Canoe, What Not To Do!

In terms of fishing, my spouse leads the way. However, during a recent canoe trip on the Boundary Waters in Northern Minnesota, his lack of leadership ability provided excellent lessons on how leaders can make mistakes without realizing it.

(1) Assign duties without having the authority.

Bill insisted that he had to be in the back of the canoe to cast his fishing line. He was to cast and trot his lure, and I was to paddle. The main difficulty lies in the fact that the person at the back must navigate a two-person canoe. He would yell instructions to me, but I had little control over the ship. I wanted to turn around and give him a paddle smack because I was frustrated. LESSON: Rather than limiting someone with your positional authority, give them complete control over the work they are assigned.

(2) Give an employee a skill set, but don't allow them to use it.

The numerous lakes that make up the Boundary Waters are connected by islands, so frequently the canoe needs to be portaged to the next lake. I can read navigational maps with ease. The closer we got, the more I would point out the portage place. Bill repeatedly insisted that I was mistaken, and after we spent some time "looking," we would go back to the location I had pointed out. I wanted to toss the backpacks over the edge. LESSON: Allow the person you hire with a skill you lack to take the initiative.

(3) Never trust someone who is closest to the issue.

Along a ledge of rock that protruded from one of the islands, we were fishing. I called for help abruptly while Bill was far away. "I have a fish and I can't tighten the reel." "No," Bill answered. "You don't have a fish." "I do, indeed. Please assist me. He approached cautiously and removed the rod from my grasp. He solved the issue like a skilled fisherman, and to his surprise, he brought out a fish. I wanted to throw it at him. LESSON: Keep an eye on those below you. A detached viewpoint could be incorrect.

(4) Get comfortable communicating incoherently.

Bill would further call out a specific direction from my directionalally weak paddling posture. He would call, "Head toward that tree." Now keep in mind that he is seated behind me. There are trees all throughout the island. What exactly is that tree? Saying, "The GREEN one," I apologize, Bill. Every single one of them is green. My eyes were closed, so I was unable to see where his finger was pointing. I desired to gnaw on that finger. LESSON: You cannot hire clairvoyance as a skill. Give detailed descriptions of what you observe and what you want. Invite others to share in your vision.

(5) Get someone to rescue you from the problems you start.

Bill would toss toward the shore as we made our way around the several islands. Although he has an excellent sense of distance, there have been times when his line has snagged low-lying shrubs, forcing me to get out and clear the mess. I came dangerously close to stepping on the back of a massive, moving boulder that was covered in moss and had the fangs of a toilet seat-sized snapping turtle that might have broken my ankle. I let out a cry. LESSON: You are entitled to a bailout once. But go ahead and do it yourself if you keep making mistakes.

P.S. Are you worried about violence at work? Take a look at how I handled someone I really loved. Think about these teachings VERY carefully.

(c) McDargh Communications, 2004. All rights reserved across all media. Copyright, contact details, and a byline are required for reprints.

Location:

Share :