Leaders, understanding the lessons provided in this post may extend or even save your leadership.
Recently, I was driving down a country road and passed approximately two dozen vultures picking the bones of a dead deer. I found the scene so dramatic I turned the car around and took the picture above.
The reason the picture was taken was not because of an interest in nature or the inner-workings of my local ecosystem. The reason the picture was taken because my mind immediately went into the leadership lessons being played out right before my very eyes.
The following are 10 Lessons For Leaders Surrounded By Vultures I gleaned from the picture above:
- Vultures Are A Sign Of A Culture Of Death – This is a culture issue. Vultures are never found in areas of growth and life. They are only found if death is present. If you are someone seemingly surrounded by nothing but vultures, it is time to take immediate and drastic steps to breath life back into your leadership.
- Even The Best Leaders Sometime Get Blindsided – All leaders get blindsided. You just do not want it to have too often. I’m sure the deer never saw the car coming.
- Some Leadership Mistakes Are Fatal – Whether it be gross incompetence, financial impropriety, or a moral failure, there are some mistakes a leader cannot recover from.
- Vultures Travel In Packs. Eagles Are Found One At A Time. – The picture above did not capture another dozen birds outside the picture’s scope. If you are looking to add leaders to your organization, you will not find them in packs. Only turkeys, buzzards and vultures come in packs. Eagles are found one at a time.
- When Things Are Going Wrong, Vultures Will Pick Your Bones Rather Than Build You Up – As a leader, when mistakes are made and things go awry, look around. Are those around you trying to build you or tear you down. This also makes it easy to discern whether you have vultures or eagles around you.
- Not Everyone Has Equal Opportunities – There was a hierarchy in the feeding frenzy. Not every vulture had the same opportunity. The opportunities went to the biggest, strongest birds. The smaller birds were out on the perimeter waiting for the scraps. As opportunities become available in your organization, everyone should not have the same opportunity either. Smart organizations leverage the best opportunities to their brightest and most-talented leaders.
- Margin Gives You Perspective – Having margin gives you time to look at things more clearly. The picture was taken on a fairly busy road in my community. However, because of COVID-19 and its impact on traffic patterns at the time, I was the only car on the road for several minutes. The margin provided my the chance to turn the car around, stop in the middle of the street, and take the picture.
- Vultures And Eagles Are Easily Identifiable – They do not look alike. It is easy to tell one from another. Eagles are majestic. Vultures, how should I say it, are not aesthetically appealing. Eagles soar. Vultures stay close to the ground feed of the failures and misfortunes of others. Here’s another….
- Vultures Are Plentiful. Eagles Are Scarce. – So if you have some eagles in your organization, do whatever you can to keep them. They are hard to find.
- Vultures Are Seemingly Easy To Get Rid Of – All you have to do is honk the horn and they will fly away. The problem is they return just as easily if the reason for their initial arrival is not dealt with.
Closing question, when you read the 10 items list above, are you surrounded by eagles or vultures? If it is vultures, what are you going to do about it?
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