The Thrill Ride to Nowhere

Space Mountain is a favorite at Disneyland.  Opened on May 27, 1977, it was the second roller coaster opened at Disneyland in Anaheim, California (there are three other Disneyland parks in Paris, Tokyo, and Hong Kong).  Everyone appreciates a good roller coaster.  The experience is the pinnacle of excitement at theme parks.  But that's where the experience should stay.

Unfortunately, I've worked with a number of leaders who did not realize that their leadership style was like a constant roller coaster ride for their employees.  It can be very chaotic!  Have you considered how your leadership style could be stunting the growth of your company?

Consider this analogy: 

It's time!  You are at Disneyland.  You make your way to Space Mountain.  AWESOME!  This is going to be great.  You rush to get in line ahead of others.  You wait anxiously as the line works its way to the front.  There are lights going off and on all around you.  The screams of people on the ride and the sound of the roller coaster cars echo through the hallways.  You look ahead to see how much longer you have to wait.

Finally you can see the loading zone and the ride attendants (ahem. I mean Cast Members).  You hope you don't lose your cell phone or your glasses resting on your head (I did that).  You block out the body odor and bratty kids to focus on the pending ride.  You start to feel a bit nervous, but you reassure yourself that the ride will be great!

After you sit down in your roller coaster car, the ride starts.  You let the click-click-click of the chain pulling you up reinforce your anticipation of FUN!  The jerkiness of the ride adds to your anticipation.  You are not in control.  It gets darker around you.

Then you race to the darkest reaches of outer space and seem to bounce back-and-forth between earth and oblivion.  You can barely see a thing, lights everywhere, you do not know where you are going, although you see shadows of others on their journey around you.  You leave your stomach somewhere back on turn 6 or 7...And then it is over.  The ride slows down and gently brings you back to the launch pad for you to exit, and new fools to take your seats.  You exhale.  You remember the thrill.  You smile, hopefully.

You feel good, although maybe a bit dizzy or queasy.  You banter with your friends and/or family about the parts of the ride you found most fun, and laugh with them about their experience.

How many years have you taken your employees, and your pocketbook, on the same up and down ride in your business...  only to end up where you started again?

You started the year (got on the ride) thinking you knew where you were going.  It seemed like a BETTER place... but there were twists and turns, times of impatience or joy, some thrills and at other times queasiness.  In the end, you were back at the beginning.  You lost that year, or those years.  I have done that WAY TOO OFTEN.  The big question is how do you avoid it?

Why not be a better leader BEFORE you do anything else so the next year of your career or business is not a theme park ride that drops you off where you started (or worse), but actually gets you somewhere meaningful?

I suggest you work with me 1:1 in our Certified LEADER program that starts next week, or our LEADERSHIP Essentials Service.