September 7, 2007

“To paraphrase the great Irish prayer, 'the wind is always at our back' because that’s where the leadership team is.” 

Just in case you aren’t familiar with the famous Irish blessing being paraphrased in this quote, the first couple of lines go something like this:

            “May the road rise up to meet you,

            May the wind be always at your back…”

Of course, the intent of the blessing is to invoke only the best of life’s experiences on those for whom we have love and concern.  Unfortunately, along with the supportive prevailing winds that help us sail through the good days, we occasionally encounter winds that can impede our progress.  Even more lamentable are those gusts that come from behind with no measurable forward sailing impact.

All too often, these are the winds that come from leadership.  Feeling compelled to weigh in but not knowing how, too many leaders stand behind the troops as “dust devils”, small whirlwinds which kick up dust and debris, typically lasting only a few short moments.  A “dust devil” wind is caused by hot ground temperatures that make the surface air want to rise.  Once it dies out, the “dust devil’s” impact is negligible.  Doesn’t this sound familiar?  We don’t need to be in the deserts of Arizona to experience “dust devils”, do we? 

When my colleague quoted in this edition of “They Said It” paraphrased the Irish prayer, he was one of many whose daily workplace experience includes human “dust devils”.  In Australia, “dust devils” are sometimes referred to as “Cock-eyed Bobs”.  Haven’t we all worked for, or with, a “Cock-eyed Bob” at some point in our lives?  They get hot until they explode, dirt rains down from the disturbance, and then their comments are quickly forgotten.

“Cock-eyed Bobs” never learn that leadership means leaning into the wind, not creating it.  From their view in the rear, they are the clueless victims of yet another Irish blessing:     

“May the dust of our carriage blind the eyes of our foe.”