Throughout my career, I have always pushed myself to obtain a leadership position. (I am my father’s daughter, after all…) There have been a few times, though, when I’ve wondered why. Why do I do it? Sometimes it feels like a lot of aggravation with very little reward.
The first time I was ready to throw in the towel altogether, I called Dad. He was not nearly as sympathetic as I hoped he would be. According to The Colonel, “Leadership is not supposed to be comfortable, kid. It’s supposed to challenge you. It’s gonna frustrate you, push you, keep you on your toes and force you to grow.”
In fact, he didn’t offer me condolences for my wounded feelings or coddle me in any manner. He did, on the other hand, offer me empathy. Leadership is hard, he agreed—and nobody ever said it would be easy.
Dad encouraged me to look at the other side of the coin. If no one was willing to be uncomfortable in leadership, there would be no rudder for the ship to point the direction, guide the path, and keep everyone enthusiastic about the destination.
The German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said, “That which doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” Although I really hated it every time The Colonel repeated that quote, there is merit in it. Allowing yourself to be frustrated and challenged—sticking through it and coming out on the other side—hones your leadership skills so that next time, the same situation will not be quite so challenging or quite so frustrating.
Leadership is not easy. It’s not comfortable. It is a calling, and it can be incredibly rewarding.
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