The Road in the Fork
Fork in the road
Years ago when I was single, and obviously younger, the speed of personal change seemed faster. It was a time when the number and frequency of what I thought were huge life choices seemed enormous. It was a time when I was coming to learn more about my personal gifts, clarifying my values, and visioning my life and purpose. I was in the early stages of changing the course of my life and putting words and imagery around it. There were all sorts of forks in the road. I recall being taught about these forks in the road over many years as a boy and professional. They were important because they can and do set your life on a particular course – there are multiple "this one" or "that one" choices.
I would like to be a part of that
Over a period of several months, I shared what was shaping up to be my vision, my desires, my ideas, and my dreams with a colleague. I was encouraged. I was focused on the forks in the road. The divides. The choices to move away from one thing and toward another. Until one day my colleague said, "I would like to be a part of that."
Me versus IT
There it was. The statement out in front of me – I would like to be a part of that – as simple and direct as it was, it stopped me in my tracks. First of all, it wasn’t a question to which I had to make a "this one" or "that one" choice between things or a tangible “IT”. It was a statement. I had to choose what I was going to do. I had to choose how I was going to be with that statement. There wasn’t much time. The space was filling up with a void of silence. The kind of silence that has more meaning, and communicates louder and clearer than actual talking. I cut the silence with something like, “Really? You mean you want to be a part of this with me?”. “Yes”, the voice said.
The road in the fork
Yes, “with me”. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I shared a vision and purpose based on specific values in a clear enough way that someone wanted to come with me. That was the "road in the fork". That person wanted to travel on the road with me. That is what leaders do. They take people with them. It could be one person. It could be a family, corporation, church, community, nation, several nations, a whole religion, or any other group of people with a shared sense of values and purpose. Leaders inspire people, and take people with them. And, everyone has the potential to lead.
If you have an interest in learning more about how I or Coach in a Box can help you with your talent and leadership development agenda by helping individual contributors step up to leading people, how to get people managers to lead leaders, and how to get middle managers to lead organizations, please reach out to me [email protected]. I look forward to connecting with you.