Preparation for Perseverance

In day-to-day opportunities as leaders, some tasks or challenges require your attention, can be solved or delegated, and then you move on. There are some challenges you know are coming and you brace for impact. The task lists seems endless and many times the challenges come one after another, after another. The question is how do you become successful in facing your challenges and to persevere?

The picture I used on this blog is of a friend and colleague of mine, Barbara. This picture is Barbara in the throes of running her first marathon. I’m so proud of her for accomplishing this task! Even more amazing is she did it with a lot of class and style as you can see in the picture. Barbara didn’t just decide the day before the marathon to run a marathon. Barbara prepared her battle rhythm months in advance. She worked a preparation regimen for her diet and exercise, and she incorporated into this regimen a plan to meet her other requirements of her personal and professional life.

Have you run a marathon?

From my friends and family who have, those who have successfully completed the event did so with a lot of preparation. It was a total commitment which prepared them for the running event. Personally for me, if I am going to run 26 miles continuously, there better be something really big and hairy chasing me. Though I admire and congratulate those who complete them…it’s just crazy…LOL.

The first hurdle in running a marathon is the preparation. Without the preparation for running a marathon, outside of something really big and hairy chasing you for 26 miles, there is no way to be successful at it. This type of dedication, the planning, the design, and the program are all instrumental in the preparation. Once the preparation is complete and the day arrives, the second hurdle is actually running the marathon. Like my colleague Barbara, through her preparation and sheer perseverance, she triumphed and completed the race!

There is no way to persevere in any circumstance in leadership if you have not prepared.

Barbara set up a regimen which allowed her to prepare. She did her research, found successful marathoners, engaged in other physical training to prepare herself such as weight lifting, ran different lengths and times of runs, and mentally prepared herself for the marathon. Her success at persevering just didn’t happen. Barbara gave herself the best chance to be successful.

Many leaders just don’t understand the requirement. If you are going to last in this marathon of leadership, you’ll need preparation to persevere. In a day and age of microwave popcorn, wrinkle free clothes, and minute health clinics, the days of preparing yourself for a job seem to end at a diploma ceremony. No one remembers what it means to prepare yourself for the challenges of the future. We want it to simply…happen.

It is no surprise that leaders these days chide the new millennial generation as self-entitled. The accusations are they want the corner office, a big salary, and don’t want to work for what they think they are owed. Though that can be true, many new leaders fall victim to the same delusions, thoughts and actions of those they have labeled self-entitled.

Some leaders today believe because they are a leader, their position provides them a protection against preparing and persevering. The delusion begins because once you have “arrived” as a leader, you obviously are smarter and better prepared than others around you. You need little more than to show up and pass out edicts. Little do many new leaders remember that most of our beginning and middle leadership positions were given to us not because we were the best prepared or the right choice, but because we outlasted everyone else. I call this the “Survivor Principle”. We outlasted, outwitted, or out played the competition; we were left standing and made the leader.

So we gamble on our leadership future, the future of our employees and the success of our organization because we are the “leader.” We all know leaders who rule from on high, command from a throne, but in actuality, are no more worthy to be called leader than the next person. They are not prepared and they fizzle long before they should. How short-sighted and amazing that this still occurs.

Preparing for events in your future, your leadership, professional, or personal life is what accommodates perseverance. You pay it forward of sorts. Leaders who are learning new ideas, studying to increase knowledge or competence, leaders who constantly are learning are preparing themselves for the challenges of their leadership positions. They ask questions, they stay engage, and they fight to be relevant. It is no secret that reading books in areas of interest or for learning and challenging one’s thoughts are good ways to prepare yourself for leadership challenges.

But like preparing for a marathon, preparing yourself for your leadership marathon means you have a better chance of persevering future challenges. The journey in leadership is far from a gentle run in the countryside. You are constantly beset with requirements demanding attention, personnel issues which need compassionate and visionary thought, and ethical dilemmas which challenge us to the soul. Your responsibility to your leadership is to be prepared to last more than just one battle, but a sustained campaign.

Our challenge then as leaders, like my colleague Barbara, is to prepare for the marathon of our leadership position and then run. There are times where you need a break, a port to take refuge so you can refresh, heal, regroup, and to continue on leading. Perseverance is not about never stopping, it is about preparing for the challenge and stopping when you need to adjust. Then get back to leading.

The secret to perseverance is knowing you are prepared or can gain support to make it through. Leaders need the preparation as they enter leadership and while they are still leading. You never can stop preparing for what is coming to you as the leader. When you do, you find when the struggles come, you may not be able to finish the race.

Leadership is not for the weak, but for the prepared to persevere!

I’d be grateful if you shared this with a colleague in need!

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