Faith Based Leadership: Keep Your Focus and Clarity When You Reach the Summit

For this blog I will highlight a key leadership truth relating to a “Summit” we all know about. In martial arts, when I had my 1st Degree Black Belt tied on, there was a mindset that many martial artists understand, and it is simply this statement:

“As soon as you Think you have Arrived….it is solid proof that you have not!”

Faith Based Leadership: Keep Your Focus and Clarity When You Reach the Summit

I would like to call your attention to a mountain peak that we have all heard of and it is the Matterhorn, the most recognizable mountain in Europe and nestled in the Swiss Alps. There is a cemetery and memorial in the region and many of those buried there are climbers who perished on the mountain.

However, here is the key insight:

A surprising number of those buried there perished on the way down after reaching the summit rather than on the way up.

It is a great illustration of leadership. You see, so often when we reach a certain success, the Dopamine Fix in our brain is at play and we just want to “hang out” and receive the applause. This is also one of the insidious ways that a societal narcissism sneaks in and it gets in the way of the future. True leaders do not do this.

True leaders look for what is next and what is the next focus and vision. What so often happens is that with the mountain climbers having reached the summit, they do not focus on the challenge of descending back down and the risk rises to the extent their brain and focus is not clear. A true leader will keep focus and not only that, but they will applaud their team but will also keep them focused.

Alabama Head Football Coach Nick Saban, after winning the NCAA Football National Championship, was asked what he saw as his greatest challenge for the next year. Coach Saban replied with:

“My greatest challenge is keeping my team players focused”.

Coach Saban fully understood this key truth. So, allow me to leave with you again this simple challenge:

“As soon as you Think you have Arrived….it is solid proof that you have not!”

In what ways do you or your team become too arrogant and seek to hang out and allow your Dopamine fix to control? Let me leave with you this question – when you or your team reach a certain level of success…….

WHAT IS NEXT?

What is it that is standing in the way of what is next for you or your team?

– Randy Swaim, Coaching for Relevance, LLC