The photo shows one of the anchors for the battleship U.S.S. North Carolina (BB-55) now on display in Wilmington, North Carolina. The length of the ship is 728’, she has a 103’3” beam, and a draft of 35’. Standard displacement for the vessel is 36,000 tons and 44,800 tons fully loaded.1 That is a tremendous amount of weight to keep in place.
There are two anchors and just one weighs 25,883 pounds, totaling 51,766 pounds for both. The purpose of the anchors is to hold the ship in place when she is not underway or tied up to a pier.
Let’s shift gears and look at the positive and negative anchors in our lives.
The Positive Side of Our Anchors
Just as a ships anchor holds the vessel in place, we too need anchors to keep us from drifting. What are some of those anchors?
- Character
- Competence
- Excellence or moral virtue described by the ancient Greeks as areté 2
- Steady support system i.e., family, friends, church, etc.
- Continuing education and training, including personal and leadership development
This brief list helps us to weather the storms of life, withstand the trials of leadership, and navigate the difficulties associated with personnel issues.
The Negative Side of Our Anchors
Although there are positive qualities to our anchors, what are the detrimental effects?
- An organizational, family, or personal culture that is resistant to change
- Failure to learn from our experiences
- Training and education concentrating solely on technical skills while ignoring personal and leadership development
- A misplaced one and done mindset i.e., “I’ve had one leadership class and I don’t need anymore.”
What About You?
Which category do you fall into? Are your anchors positive or negative? Either one speaks highly of your personal character. Comment below or send an email to info@impactusleadership.com to share your thoughts. Also, visit my website at www.impactusleadership.com.
Are you haplessly stumbling through the career-progression haze?
Denver leadership training and coaching are also provided by us at Impactus Leadership.
2Christopher Kolenda, Leadership: The Warriors Art, (Carlisle, PA: The Army War College Foundation Press, 2001), 12
