One Saturday morning, we discovered that a great white egret was stuck in one of our large oak trees, forty feet up. Its leg was caught on a limb and it was struggling mightily to free itself. We called every organization that could possibly help, and late in the day, finally located a tree trimmer who was willing to attempt a rescue using ropes and harnesses. Sadly it was too late for the magnificent bird.
Leadership lessons:
- Nonchalance – How often do you take routine tasks for granted? Had the bird paid closer attention to its landing, it may not have gotten its foot caught.
- Impatience – Do you sometimes push ahead and try to fix a problem quickly on your own, only to discover that you made matters worse? By trying to free its leg, the bird ended up getting the other leg caught as well.
- Pride – Many leaders think they can solve problems on their own. Even when others offer assistance, they turn it down. The results are often less than ideal.
- Independence – Our bird was alone, even though egrets often roost together. Perhaps another egret could have used its beak to help free the foot. Often a team approach works best.
- Mentor – Sometimes you get stuck. Who can you call for advice and assistance?
Great leaders are always growing. What lessons are you learning from your experiences?
photo by:
Rictor Norton & David Allen
How we forget that we are very successful primates who
like your beautiful egret often cannot get out of harms way. Instinctive responses-flight or fight-take over when we face a challenging moment. Or we freeze, afraid to make a move. What if our egret had a team of others to help it at a moment of crisis? What if we could pause and see hope in those others trying to help us. The egret was a moment of reflection. thanks for sharing.
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