I recently had an interesting dream. In the dream I was on top of a very large hill overlooking a lake. A man was chasing me and we were struggling over a small parachute, the kind used in kite-surfing, sometimes called parachute-surfing. I managed to gain control of the parachute and deploy it, just in time to get away from him. Being that it was a small parachute, it would take me up in the air and then drop me back down in short bursts. I was often being dragged on the ground until I cold get back on my feet.
My pursuer was hot on my trail. As I came down the hill toward the lake, I was not sure what to do; but the wind picked-up and took me high up into the sky and across a section of the lake towards an opposing shoreline. As I was up in the air, I had my eyes clinched tight, scared because of the situation I was in. I opened one eye and saw myself very high in the air and descending rapidly downward, fear filled my heart and …I awoke.
From a leadership perspective, I was left wondering about parachutes. Parachutes are often used in the financial planning world as an analogy to financially protect oneself or ones family from disasters that could hurt them.
As leaders and individuals we all have a lot of strings to manage and keep taught. We have many relationships to carefully watch over. There are competitors and sometimes colleagues, chasing after us. There is a huge demand for our time, and forces that often blow us in many directions, yet leave us feeling alone. So I have to wonder, what is your leadership parachute that can help you escape disaster?
Perhaps it is a coach that can help you gain perspective on problems in the business. Perhaps it is a “second in command” or other key employee that has your back and will help you climb out of the holes that you get stuck into. Perhaps your parachute is an activity that grounds you, such as a sport, or a learning resource. Perhaps it is a friend or family member.
Parachutes can come in all shapes and sizes. It is important that you know what your parachute is so that you can grab it when the world seems after you.
What is your parachute? When has your parachute gotten you out of a sticky situation in business or life? Please share your thoughts below to help inspire others.
