Swimmers
Few are those who see with their own eyes and feel with their own heart.
–Albert Einstein
Swimming is not intuitive for most humans. Our physiology isn’t designed for it–no webbing or gills. And yet…with a longing for water, we learn to swim. We practice. We take lessons and swim laps.
Until, the unnatural becomes natural. Knowing our own opinion and expressing it, can require a similar discipline.
With competing voices seeking our loyalty, it is at times difficult to discern our own preferences. If we are able to sort through the clamor to a singular idea or focus, there comes a second challenge…expressing it.
Not all corporate waters are welcoming pools. Some are the organizational equivalent of white water rapids…teaming with ancient hierarchies, concealing undercurrents of retaliation, and flowing over a gravely bed of competition. This inhospitable environment can feel treacherous to even the most skilled of swimmers.
And yet…we feel the pull to jump in. As leaders, we are called to do just that. It is from the froth and tumult that new ideas are born. Most importantly, the people around us are watching.
Maybe it’s a crazy idea. Maybe it doesn’t fit the current structure. Maybe it makes filet mignon out of the favorite sacred cow. Or maybe it’s simply blue, when all that’s known and familiar is grey.
By jumping in, we assure our tribe that the water’s safe. Our example encourages them to take the plunge, too.
The need to know your own mind and express it is not limited to a work environment. Intelligence, discernment, and passion are needed everywhere. Einstein had it right. Few see and feel on their own…fewer still are those brave enough to say out loud what they find when they do.
