Depending on how you see it, the world could be a boring place with nothing left to be discovered.
Or Thomas Edison’s wet dream — light bulbs lying around waiting for you to light them up. Since I left secondary school, ideas seem to be everywhere I look.
Maybe something was wrong with the schoo—
Anyway, the year was 2020. I was doing my dishes while occasionally glancing through the kitchen window. As I brushed the last plate with my housemate’s sponge, I noticed something.
I call it — The Four-person Rod.
*thunderous applause*
So, there was a construction site near where I lived. And seeing the workers do this made my light bulb go off. No, not your average low-efficiency-everything-turns-into-heat bulb. It was one of those fully customizable Philips Hue smart light bulbs.
#notsponsored
I was mind-blown.
I probably dumped my housemate’s sponge and rushed back to my room to write it down. Today, I realized it taught me more about leadership than any fancy seminar could do.
🍎 Adam the Leader
No, not the naked one.
Here, Adam is leading the four-man squad. With the best view of what’s ahead, there’s none better than him who knows where and how fast to go.
That’s powerful, isn’t it?
But, the same power also comes with a risk.
If Adam messes up, everybody fk up.
Hence, as the top guy, the pressure is on him to ensure the rod gets to where it’s supposed to be, while nobody gets hurt by a wild bulldozer or falls into a hole.
TLDR👇
Being a leader is glorious because all eyes are on you, but it’s also stressful because all eyes are on you.
🐕🦺 Bob the Assistant
Imagine a mountain🗻
How many people do you think can fit the peak?
Far less than the foot where there is more space, ain’t it?
That’s why we often hear this.
It’s lonely at the top.
Whether you’re organising an event or running a business, being the only person who knows everything is kind of lonely. You don’t have someone to share your ideas and concerns with, and it feels as if you are apart from your team, not a part of it.
So, behind every good leader, there’s always a second-in-command who can do more than just hold the reins when needed — to share the joy and burden.
Isn’t it lovely?
But, my Philips Hue smart light bulb had one more thing to say. #notsponsored
👁️ Bob the Envier
When I first wrote about Bob (same person), I saw him in a bad light. Being the second man means his work may not be as recognized as Adam’s. That must have built up his jealousy.
So, whenever the leader does something wrong, Bob will be most vocal in doubting Adam’s ability. In the political world, you could even call Bob the saboteur who will orchestrate the premier’s ousting, so he can finally hold the reins he’s always hoped for.
But, his downfall will come even faster. As Bob isn’t Adam, unbeknownst to him are the pressure and risks a leader has to endure.
In other words, Adam is the doer, whereas Bob is the observer. And it’s easy to think you can do better when you’re sitting comfortably on an armchair far, far away.
Observers can watch what happens from a distance, but they cannot understand what it feels like.
Richard Merrick, Observers vs Doers
👣 Cope the Follower
Me then: He’s just a follower. Nothing fancy.
Me now: Boy, was I wrong.
He resembles most working people today — hates his 9-to-5 job, dreads waking up on Mondays, and lives from weekend to weekend. But, like his name, Cope just copes.
However unhappy he is, he isn’t unhappy enough to do something about it. Hence, Cope will cope by doing things only when told. He won’t do more than what’s needed, but only the bare minimum as ordered, obediently.
Seeing him taught me that, unless you enjoy dictatorship as a leader, you wouldn’t want a passive player or a “yes” man in your team.
🤔 Dave the Follower(?)
He is a pity.
If Cope has given up control over his life, then Dave doesn’t know he has it. Like many of us today, Dave has no clue about his unfair advantages and gifted talents that could also let him lead.
Think about it.
The Four-person Rod — as you saw it a while ago — was moving to the left. That automatically makes the leftmost person the leader with the power to control where and how everyone moves.
But, what if you reversed it?
Exactly. Dave becomes the new leader of the pack. He now has the same power Adam had and the same responsibility to guide the team safely towards their goal.
At this point, I remembered the cliché.
Everyone can be a leader.
But, not everyone can be good. That’s why it’s useful to know what your innate talents are, so you can effectively do what you’re good at, and delegate what you’re not to others better than you.
As a leader,
You don’t cut yourself to fit the cloth.
Instead,
You find the right cloth that fits you and the right people for the clothes that don’t.
🎁 Bonus
Looking back, the last guy Dave may have been conscious of what he’s capable of, but chooses to stay humble and only rise when he’s needed.
Sometimes, even I’m afraid of my own imagination.
—Thomas
P.S.
Here's what I wrote down after dumping my housemate's sponge.