Imagine you and a team of others are in a boat stranded in the ocean, the motor is broken and a slow leak has formed. You are the Captain, it is your job to get the crew to safety. Your group manages to stay afloat and on course by working together. Someone bails the boat, while another fishes. The other guy sets the sails. You maintain the bearing in order to direct those who are tasked with rowing. You help with bailing, fishing, rowing, and directing.  

Yet, the days and nights pass with no land in sight. 

The fisherman misses more catches than he reels in. The bailer may as well be using a thimble. The rower just can’t keep rowing. You, their leader, are barely ensuring the boat is staying on the correct path. You wallow in your sorrows, hidden deep within the belly of the ship, no longer formulating a plan, simply going through the motions that are proving fruitless. 

The boat is sinking, the people are hungry and tired, the ship has been diverted by unexpected winds and will likely shipwreck or be lost forever. The hope is gone. 

The passion that fueled the desire to survive is collectively dead. And, you, the fearless captain of the ship, are the one to blame. 

When the leader stops leading, ceases to identify and implement new process and technique, and surrenders to despair the crew follows suit. 

How as the Captain of your barge can you keep on course, stay afloat and arouse the passion needed for survival within your shipmates? 

Row When You Gotta Row: Bail the boat when you have to, cast a line, set a sail. As a leader it is at times necessary to get on deck with the rest of the crew. Lend a hand, show them you are invested in success and will do any job that gets the ship to shore. Being on deck allows you to provide encouragement and build trust. It also allows you a front row perspective, granting you the ability to revise or create new processes in order to achieve a better way of accomplishing a task. 

Take caution to limit your time on your deck. Too much will provide the opportunity for the others to become dependent on your contributions. You MUST keep time to lead. 

Watch From the Bow and the Stern: Keep your eyes on the course set that will lead the sailors to shore. Face the waves, identify icebergs in the distance, and be on guard for pirates. Be prepared to have a plan in place for unexpected detours or potential catastrophes. Do not lose sight of the wake behind you as lessons have been learned throughout the travels. Be aware of where you came from to avoid making the same mistakes twice. 

Reel in the Pity Party: Even Captain’s cry sometimes. Do it in your own quarters, hidden far enough away to be neither seen nor heard. Never let your crew see you weak. You are the promoter of positivity. The propeller of passion, and the person that provides purpose. Weakness and negativity spread faster than the plague. Certainty, assuredness, and confidence are your best barriers to outbreak. 

The Captain Goes Down With the Ship: It’s your vessel. Your responsibility. The trust your people have in you drowns when you are the first one to bail off the side of the boat. Being unresponsive, illusive, and absent sets the crew mates up for failure. With no present leader even the most motivated deckhand will succumb to loneliness, anger, frustration, and helplessness. Be there to support and assist in achieving the goals. 

Provide transparency when you must hole up in your quarters for planning and collaborating. If the team thinks you’re sleeping on the job the morale is affected, motivation to produce sinks, and your clout is capsized. 

As the leader you have great responsibility, not just to get a job done, but to get everyone back home in one piece. Your job doesn’t end at the dock, it ends with the satisfaction of knowing you led effectively, respectfully, and responsibly. 

Being the captain isn’t easy. But it’s worth it.