Page 123 - Fearless Leadership

110 FEARLESS LEADERSHIP

We thought you couldn’t get out of that rut.” The little frog replied, “I
couldn’t, but when I saw a wagon coming toward me, I had to.”
The little frog reacted in a hurry only when his survival was threatened,
but up until that point the little frog was powerless. When you fall into
victim mentality you react to circumstances and self-fulfill what you
believe. There is an important distinction that must not be missed: fear-
less leadership is based on being proactive and decisive; victim mentality
is based on blaming and reacting.
Transformation is a moment-by-moment process. You have the capac-
ity to transform yourself every time you make a choice to be or do some-
thing different and to rise above your automatic behaviors. The moment
you pause and examine how you are interpreting a situation and the role
you have cast yourself and others in, you expand your personal context and
find new ways to get out of old ruts.
If you think that transformation is something that can be mastered and
forgotten, let me disabuse you of this notion. Transforming yourself and
your organization is an ongoing process that must become a way of life,
not another thing to do or to check off your list. Fearless leadership is the
ongoing commitment and process to continually transform yourself and
others to reach higher and excel.
As we move into Part II, our focus is on taking a stand, building com-
mitted partnerships, and learning how to recover quickly when breakdowns
occur. We will not spend any time on how to achieve the unattainable state
of perfection because the quest for perfection is in itself a trap. But you
will learn how to master the ability to powerfully influence and interact
with others.
Let’s draw a clear line about what fearless leadership is and is not.
Fearless leadership is not the absence of fear; it is standing strong and res-
olute in the face of fear. Certainly there are times when you feel power-
less and resigned, and fearless leadership will not eliminate challenges or
breakdowns in your work. But you will be different in how you meet and
address these challenges and breakdowns. It is your personal transforma-
tion that gives you the power and freedom to alter anything.
You cannot control or change others, and if you persist in pursuing this
path, you will be constantly disappointed and frustrated. The good news
is that others have no control over you. You have a choice over how you