I’m the Storm

This is a chapter from my latest book, The Fisherman’s Path to Leadership: 224 Lessons from the Wisdom of Nature

We all know about seasickness. In fact, only a few people don’t have it. This is normal for all humans, to a greater or lesser extent, regardless if you are a beginner or an experienced seafarer. The only difference is that the experienced know how to adapt faster.

When we witness such incredible instability during a storm, our body and mind read conflicting signals which leads to reactions causing muscles to contract and nausea. Psychologically, if you are afraid that you will get seasick, you will feel sick. Therefore, take it easy, and keep doing your job.

First, I felt sick when facing a force-five storm. Soon, I adapted to a force-seven storm and felt okay. Then I faced something truly fierce and violent – a force-eleven storm. The small trawler, 38-meters long fighting against 10-16-meter-high waves that could crush everything. My stomach was somewhere in my throat, my brain begged for a few seconds of stability and calmness, and my body wasn’t mine. I don’t remember feeling it somehow.

The distance from my cabin to the engine room which usually was covered in seconds took about twenty minutes of clinging to every wall, handrail, and whatever I was able to get my hands on.

No one and nothing can help in such a 36-hour survival test. We were days away from the nearest safe harbor. The faces of all my crewmates were of a dollar-green color.

In these situations, everyone turns to God.

Yet, before long, I realized something - I enjoyed storms. After the force-eleven, I loved standing on the deck feeling like I was surfing. I realized that by growing through the storms I become the storm myself.

The main challenge is psychological. Growth is associated with enhanced psychological ability. You are either a leader who stands firm and does what must be done regardless of circumstances or you give up and let others fail.

Success is a port you can only reach through the storm. This rough passage demands two key elements – the ability to grow beyond our own fears and limitations and the ability to change and adapt to fast-changing realities. This is an absolutely essential ability to become a true leader.

Lessons learned:

• Be a storm yourself that is stronger than forthcoming challenges;
• The leader is responsible for leading people into the future. She defines a vision that is much greater than herself and the organization. No one can lead something so huge without the ability to grow and change;
• If a leader fails to conduct his or her duty, the team will fail;
• Change will be painful. The growth is rewarded;
• No storm lasts forever;
• Psychological strength is key for any leader;
• If you can challenge yourself, you can withstand any storm;
• Courage to face the storm is a skill that develops with experience. It doesn’t make you fearless but makes you experienced.? ?

Read The Fisherman’s Path to Leadership and give me your feedback:

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