The Intention to Lead

Imagine being on a 20 foot pleasure boat in the middle of a Lake Ontario (53 miles wide and 193 miles long) and a sudden fog rolls in. Disoriented and unable to see the shore line, with no modern navigation instruments on-board, all you have to navigate your way to safety is an inexpensive hand-held compass and one persons knowledge of local landmarks which you can't see.

The captain of the vessel who has never used the compass before wants to head in one direction where off in the distance, he is certain he can see the shore line. Once oriented to shore, he will surely be able to use landmarks to confidently navigate his way back home.

A passenger on-board who has also never used a hand-held compass was equally certain of one thing, he used to sail this lake with his father and he was certain that Toronto was due north from where they had started their journey which meant that due south must be home. The wobbly compass needle and the possible shore line sighting were not pointing in the same direction.

With a limited amount of gas and daylight left, and the safety of a young family in the balance, which leader would you choose to follow?

Back in 2008, without smartphones or GPS, I found myself in this exact situation. I was both the captain and the passenger in this scenario. I was the captain of my new boat and I was also the passenger who had sailed the lake years ago with my father. The safety of my young family hung in the balance of my next decision. I could have asserted my authority and made an executive decision but our intention was to get home safely, so as a group, we quickly discussed the competency of both navigational options and discussed the potential consequences of our choices. The decision was not nearly as simple as it seemed, given what we all clearly thought we could see with our eyes was not the same direction as the compass was pointing.

What does it take to be a great leader? Is it the ability to act with absolute conviction and demonstrate your authority and will over others by making every key decision? It's difficult to be a successful leader when you have all of the power. Having the courage to speak up as a leader and say "I don't know the answer" makes it safe for others to speak up and together, you can start to solve difficult problems with competence and clarity.

David Marquet, retired US Navy Submarine Captain replaced authoritative commands with the words "I intend to" which gave those he had authority over in his crew accountability for their actions. His willingness to create a safe learning environment and his ability to listen ensured the survival of the entire crew.

Following orders requires compliance. Following a leader requires a leap of faith, however blind faith can be lethal. Leadership requires the courage to speak up, the humility to admit that you don't have all the answers and the ability to listen and genuinely care for each other.

The captain of a ship is the person with all of the power, but that doesn't make them a great leader. Leaders have the unique ability to visualize and articulate a future state that others can see and believe in. Those who believe what you believe will take up your cause and make it their own. Together, everything you do serves as proof of what you believe and before you know it, that future vision state becomes your current reality.

I intend to be a better husband, father and leader to my friends, family and co-workers. Not because I have to but because I want to. Everything I do, every effort that I make will serve as proof of what I believe. I just happen to have a healthier and happier life than most people my age. If you believe in the same future, why not join me in the conversation?