“Courage is not the lack of fear. It is acting in spite of it.” ~ Mark Twain
This past week I flew out to Little Rock, AR for the grand opening of Otter Creek Chick-fil-A. I am the operator coach for one of CFA’s newest operators. On the flight out, I hit it off with the guy sitting next to me and we talked for most of the flight. I recalled a funny story that I shared with him about the operator that sat next to me on the flight to my first annual CFA seminar in 2009. This operator was very nervous and fidgeting in his seat when he looked over at me and said “you don’t seem nervous at all”…I responded…”No I only get nervous before we land because I’m used to jumping out before we land.” Needless to say he was unnerved by my response…but we’ve been good friends ever since. As far back as I can remember, I’ve been a risk-taker. I got my first motorcycle when I was 5; I bought some rock climbing/rappelling gear when I was 10 and spent countless hours rappelling off of buildings and nearby rock cliffs; I bungee jumped from a 200 foot crane when I was 15; and I took my first leap out of a perfectly good airplane when I was 16…not to mention the things I did in the military. You may think I’m crazy, but I’m perplexed by people that are not willing to take risk. For example, my rappelling gear is rated for several thousand pounds and last time I got on a scale I was no where near that…so why would I be afraid that the equipment would not hold me? To me, it’s that simple, I trust that as long as I’m not careless and I’m trained on how to use the equipment, my parachute will catch my fall or the rope will lower me down safely. I have to admit a healthy fear of heights did creep in sometimes, but I used it to remind me to double check the condition of my equipment. I don’t take the opportunity to do that much rappelling, rock climbing or parachuting anymore but I do enjoy riding a motorcycle. While riding in the Ozarks this past week, it wasn’t my ability or the equipment that made me afraid a few times, it was the unpredictability of a deer or another driver. Yet I ride in spite of my fear.
Risk taking isn’t always about adventure sports. I consider one of the greatest risk I take is trusting people to run my business in my absence. Honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way…besides I’m a risk-taker and that is how I live my life. I would much rather trust people and run the risk of being taken advantage of a few times than micro-managing everyone in my life and stifling their growth as leaders. I truly believe that this is one of the greatest secrets to my ability to develop leaders, trusting them. For me it’s that simple, I trust that as long as I set clear expectations, put systems in place to monitor, then give them freedom, they will strive to meet those expectations and grow as leaders. If they are just a dishonest person, the system will catch them. I tell my team members that “I trust them until they prove to me they can’t be trusted.” It only takes one breech of trust and they are no longer allowed to work for me. However, I believe when people know they are trusted and are given the freedom to lead, they actually become more trustworthy and better leaders. True leaders are risk-takers and trust those whom they lead.
Great post, Zach. Thanks for teaching me to rappel 👍