This was an image I posted on my #YourDailyAwwwwww hashtag of a young boy catching a fish.
Is it adorable? Absolutely. I love sharing adorable stuff in my blog.
But why I share it is the following top comment from the post that really stuck out to me.
“Good work Dad, support without interference.”
I have a very good friend who is doing amazing things in education. She often asks me for advice and support, and I am open to giving it to her. She wants to get better. Yet sometimes she goes in a direction that is opposite of what I suggest. Instead of being frustrated, I always support her. Nobody knows her context better than she does, and how she got to the place that she is already, was not based on my advice, but her gut.
You see, when we are open to providing support, this sometimes means people will go in ways that we don’t necessarily agree with or understand. This is okay. And in fact, sometimes they go in an opposite direction and it was the absolute right decision for them, and worked out better than your advice would have if they would have accepted it. What is important is that you are still there to support them, and be okay with them going in the direction their gut sends them. Leadership is about trust and when we “interfere”, that trust is obviously lacking. With support though, trust is shown in an abundance. Sometimes it is important that others “step in”, but choose those moments wisely.
Some ideas that others have will fall on their face. When we try to “control” the direction, we often lose great people that were willing to do great things, because they felt they weren’t allowed.
Support without interference.
Just a amazing idea for not only catching a fish, but leadership in general.
