Leadership Sparks the Fire

Some people tell me that their leadership is about putting out fires. They feel like they rush around reacting to crisis situations and people, that they never have time to do anything deeper.

For me, leadership is much more about starting and spreading fires than putting them out.

I believe in fire. Fire is power, fire is passion. Fire provides heat and light; it comforts us and helps us see the way. Fire burns away what we do not need and refines what we do need. Fire is very real, it does not play games.

One of our greatest challenges as leaders is controlling the fire. Fire is most challenging to control when it has been extinguished.

Some people tell me that their fire has gone out. They were passionate, motivated, inspired; they were on fire. Now their work life is getting cold and dark. They need leadership that sparks the life in them again.

What fascinates me is the stunning variety of things and situations that provide that spark to people. Some become passionate about an elegant design, or a balanced spreadsheet. Some get the spark from a well-written sentence or a persuasive argument. Some flames are ignited by creativity, or practicality, or social change.

The key to being a leader is knowing that the fire within you continues to burn, and sharing that fire with those around you.

The leaders who inspire me are the people who shared their fire with me. I was not necessarily ignited by the same things they were, but their fire was incendiary. They sparked my willingness to explore, recognize, and appreciate the fire that burns within me.

Are you focused on putting out fires or on sparking the fires in the people around you?

What sets your heart on fire?

[Image by Velo Steve]