Leadership Insights from God's Canyon Pt 2

A recent rim-to-rim hike in the Grand Canyon filled my mind with reflection and evaluation. My four-day hike with good friends was perfect in so many ways. The weather was amazing with crystal blue skies during the day and too many stars to count each night. I was awakened each night by the light of the moon. In the day the sun was hot, but the shade brought relief and refreshment. My back-pack was manageable and my shoes were comfortable (despite several blisters caused by good hard hiking). I have almost decided to offer the trip as a leadership class to interested high school students. So many leadership principles became evident as we experienced the adventure of God's Canyon.

One leadership insight that the canyon provided was the essential need for shade. Many people have died in the canyon because of the heat of the sun. The temperatures rose close to 120 degrees each day. But we stopped at three little oases (Cottonwood, Phantom Ranch, and Indian Gardens), each providing some wonderful shade from the blistering sun. A cool (no make that cold) stream wound its way through the campsites and dipping your feet, legs, and even your whole body in the stream made the temperature bearable if not even comfortable. The same is true of leadership, the environment can get very hot. Emotional temperatures can rise, financial environments can heat up, and the pressures of business and ministry can get to blistering levels. And so, every good leader has discovered a place of shade... a cool stream of refreshment. The shade might be a colleague that can provide a different perspective... or a co-worker with a great sense of humor that makes you laugh...or a walk around the campus – away from the office – filled with fresh air and prayer. That cool stream could be a nice glass of lemonade and five minutes to close your eyes and collect your thoughts.... or allowing the powerful words of Jesus to flood over your soul... or a phone call to your spouse (or one of your children) in order to hear the words of unconditional love. Shade and the cool stream in the midst of rocky cliffs is so essential to the effective leader.

A second insight involves water. I like the taste of water, but it takes on a different dimension in the bottom of God's Canyon. It not only tastes great, but it fills your body with strength and life. Since we carried all of our food and my goal was to travel light, I was as wise as possible in my choice of sustenance. I took tuna in aluminum pouches for dinner, power bars and trail mix for breaks along the path, and fruit bars for breakfast. The variety was not all that great, but the food and water tasted so good after a long hike. Lots of water (with Gatorade packets) kept me hydrated and those power bars gave me the energy I needed for the walk. In the canyon of the organization and the maze of leadership, water and food are imperative. As the Psalmist once said, “As the deer pants for water, so my soul thirsts for You.” Jesus said, “I am the living water. Whoever drinks of me will never thirst again.” Taking time to spend in the presence of God is as important to leaders as water is for human existence. Prayer, reflection, meditation, and Bible study strengthens the soul with life. Jesus also said, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Just as it is foolish to hike in the sun of the canyon without food and water, so it is folly to enter the role of leader without the bread and water that comes from spending time with the Savior and God of our souls.

A final thought brings a smile to my face. Laughter keeps things in perspective. While we were on the trail, we were pretty focused as a team of hikers. Walking alongside of cliffs rising hundreds of feet above the canyon floor was not a time to goof around. But when we took a break along the path and when we finally arrived a camp, laughter was the medicine needed for tired feet and sore muscles. We laughed about the events of the day, the crazy squirrels that wanted our food, and mice that visited us at camp at dusk. I love to laugh and so often I find it to be soothing to my heart and mind. An effective leader should (in my opinion) develop a rich sense of humor and an ability to laugh at him/herself. A good laugh can purge stress and serve as a release for tension and pressure. I have seen an awkward discussion brought to ease through humor. I have been part of an emotionally charged debate that ended with peace and laughter as a result of a tasteful interjection of humor. Laughter simply puts life into a proper context. Leaders should never leave home without it.