If you have never been on a ropes course, then you will not understand the trust fall. Last week I published a picture and asked you to study it carefully. I now want to show you a few more pictures from that event. (By the way, you can click on any picture to enlarge it.)Visualize yourself standing on a platform about 48" (4 feet) off the ground. You move to the very edge facing backwards so that only the front of your feet remain on the platform. Behind you is a group of people consisting of your co-workers, perhaps your friends, perhaps those you supervise, perhaps those who supervise you, or perhaps even your family. The are called spotters. And yes, you are going to fall into their arms from 4 feet above the ground, with your back to them, and they are going to catch you when you fall!!!
So, you cross your arms and ask "spotters ready?"
You may even look back like this young lady to see if they are really there!
They respond "spotters ready!"You say, "falling!"
They say, "fall."
Your heart rate accelerates, your breathing becomes deep and rapid, you close your eyes, you fight through your fear, and then you let go and release your body to fall completely backwards from the 48" platform into their arms.
That is trust!Choosing and then allowing your well being, your physical, emotional, and mental safety to be placed into the hands of others. I can think of no better way to demonstrate trust than to let go and fall off of that platform!! And yes, I have done it!!
So how does this relate to leadership?Simple. Leaders build and create trust!
In the picture on the left, this young lady has let go! She is not talking about trust, she is trusting!
As I have learned through experience, there is no magic formula for leadership! But I do know, that leaders build and create trust! Nothing, I repeat nothing, can replace trust!!
Laws of Leadership
I highly recommend John Maxwell's, 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership in which he states "that leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less." I agree with him 100%; however, a leader who is not capable of trusting or developing trust with others will never have influence. So, as I close I say this, the sum of all leadership is trust.
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