Leaders Watch for the Geckos
We recently took a trip to California to visit our son and daughter-in-law and to participate in a very
special event, the celebration of our granddaughter's second birthday. It is not every
day one gets to have a birthday party on the shores of the Pacific Ocean at Manhattan Beach with their
precious grandchild! Our little one is growing quickly and she is surely one of the greatest joys of our
life.
While visiting for a few days my son and I decided to take on an adventure to hike up the Verdugo
Mountain range located on the northeast end of the San Fernando Valley, which separates the larger
San Gabriel Mountains by the Tujunga Valley. It is the natural divide between Burbank and Glendale,
that we had been talking about hiking for a while now. It was a hot climb with temperatures
peaking slightly over 100 degrees, but the time together was well worth the effort, and the views were
spectacular. From the summit you can get a great view of the Crescenta Valley in one direction and the
San Fernando Valley in the other. It was breathtaking, both literally and figuratively.
While climbing the grade, we caught a glimpse of a rare sight, we were actually able to see the mountain
slowly collapse right before our eyes. Not in a big way mind you, but in a
very real way none the less. Out of the corner of our eyes, we actually saw a small trickle of sand
cascading down the side of the mountain. When I first spotted it happening, I stopped in my tracks and
stared intently. Were we going to encounter an earthquake? (I am always on the lookout for
such things when I visit them!) Standing there quietly, we were able to finally see the causation of the
mini landslide, a small Gecko Lizard, or Coleonyx variegatus to be exact as it too traversed up the grade.
As this little reptile scampered up the mountain side, his tiny feet dislodged enough sand to send it
cascading downward. This lizard was contributing to the eventual erosion of this grand mountain range,
and the advancement of the entropy and disorder of the Verdugo mountain range. You can see the
loose and cascading soil in the picture below.
While we pressed on, Justin noted that it was interesting that such a small creature could help bring
down a mountain. And that began the leadership lesson of the day discussion between us.
People often look for major disruptions and crisis to be the undoing of their great efforts. They rightly
conduct Risk Management meetings and put together counter measure plans. I think this is a wise
undertaking and prudent management and indeed sometimes major crisis do happen. I think more
often than not however, it really is the addition of many small things that added together are what
cause our best efforts and enterprises to fail, that bring our mountains down.
Leaders must be on the vigil for the Geckos in life. Leaders know that small hurtful things, left
unchecked silently add up to wear away at our processes, our policies, our best practices and our
culture. Leaders remember that you do not need to work at the dismantling of our work, all one needs
to do is to do nothing, and to let the Geckos of life wear away the very foundations that we originally
built upon.
Are there any Geckos scampering around in the areas that you are responsible to lead? Are there any
lizard's tiny feet slowly wearing away at those values you hold dear? Are there small things
eating away at the relationships that you cherish? Leaders are aware of this ever present condition and
continually work to shore up and fortify the mountain sides they are responsible for and those they are
responsible to lead.
Stay Strong,
Terry
