I have been in a number of conversations with friends, colleagues and clients where the topic of discussion has been the inability or freedom to lead. I just recently had a conversation with a Senior Leader of a very large organization about this very problem. (could be a church, non-profit or business) I’ll let your imagination fill-in that blank.
This guy is a strong, gifted, visionary leader who is being hamstrung by his governing body. Not only is the this crippling him, it’s setting their organization back years.
Just like the famous triple crown horse Secretariat needed to be freed up to run, not only run, but run the race that only he could run. That’s the same situation for leaders being held back in organizations around the country. Leaders want to be free, they want to run and they want to lead.
Organizations and organizational leaders have an opportunity and responsibility to free up their race horses to run and to lead. These races must be within the boundaries of the established organization; however it should be encouraged that they push those boundaries to the limit.
The potential for greatness exists at all levels throughout most organizations and a major hindrance is control and an unwillingness to let the horses run their race. Leaders are looking for a License To Lead.
The famous quote from the movie Secretariat are this, “Let him run his race.”
Let them run their race!