Climbing the ladder often refers to vertical movement through an organizational hierarchy. The phrase has also been attached to success, but that topic will be addressed in a future blog. Are you ascending the ladder of leadership development or are you watching someone else go higher while you whittle away time? Are you trying to climb the ladder of development by yourself or are others helping you?
The photo shows a firefighter at the tip of a 105’ ladder while the one on top of the truck is at the controls on the turntable. Could one firefighter back the truck into position, operate the stabilizers, extend the ladder, and then climb to the top without the help of anyone else? Sure, but that is not how we operated in the fire department I worked at. Functioning as a team increases the efficiency, speed, and safety of the operation. All of which are necessary components for successful firefighting and rescue where time is of the essence.
Reading leadership books, articles, and blogs is a good practice, but we need to move beyond the single person activity as it only takes us so far and at a slower pace of development. Attending seminars, workshops, webinars, and other training sessions takes advantage of a team approach and involves a synergistic effect on our development. Likewise, using the services of a coach or mentor allows us to climb to higher levels and increases our impact on the lives of others.
Please leave a comment and reach out to discover how I can help you and your organization.
