Part 1 of a multi-part series about leadership and organizational goal setting.

I often use visuals and analogies to represent my observations and tell stories so I will ask that you use your imagination a bit to visualize and relate to the topic we are about to discuss. Depending on where you are reading this story you might see a picture of a ladder attached. If there is not an accompanying picture then I want you to picture first an “A-frame” ladder. Most of you have an image of this ladder in your mind.

The A-frame ladder essentially helps us reach items that are parallel, vertical, or above us to name a few uses. We can place A-frame ladders next to walls and we don’t need to lean them against anything to reach heights as long as both sides of the ladder sit on stable and flat ground. In this first series, I will ask you to reflect on several questions, and in the reading below I will offer a few suggestions on leadership.

I want you to go back to the image of the A-frame ladder in your mind and search your memory about climbing an A-frame ladder and ask yourself the following questions. Have you ever set foot on one? How did it feel the first time you got on one? If you have ever been on an A-frame ladder and it is routine for you simply because you don’t give it much thought. You probably have one in your garage and it is a simple task to set up, climb up and down, and put it away. You are probably comfortable with this tool and you know it well. What do you think of people who have never set foot on one before? Anyone who has ever used an A-frame ladder will tell you that there is a right way and a wrong way to use one and we will get to that later.

In life, we all climb ladders of some type. In our pursuit of career advancement, professional development, financial investments, expansion of our families, social status, and so many more examples, we have gained new perspectives on what the world has to offer. If you have never climbed a real ladder you might ask yourself why you never set foot on one. Was it a fear of heights? Do you have discomfort with those types of things? Perhaps you simply don’t do ladders or you let others do that type of thing. What did it look like to see others on an A-frame ladder? There is nothing wrong with your reasoning and you very well might be 100% correct in your choice not to climb a ladder at all. There are several memes online of people doing what we might call risky or flat-out stupid things on ladders. When we talk about leadership, I want you to think about climbing an A-frame ladder and what is most important in reaching a new height in your organization.

Let me start with the end and I will explain as we go. The actual “success” of “stepping up” for some can result in either a “moment” or have a “long-term” outcome. I want to talk about the difference between a “moment” and “long-term” on my A-frame ladder leadership discussion. Goal setting, planning, and problem-solving are just a nugget of what can lead to success in A-frame leadership. When leaders look at a task, an A-frame might be the right tool to achieve the overall goal. It might be a personal goal that sets leaders above others or it might be a leader who wants to elevate others to accomplish the vision of organizational goals. A-frame ladders work best when they are set up on a flat and stable foundation. If you took the time to search memes on social media of people balancing A-frame ladders on unstable surfaces you might have cringed at some of the crazy or stupid things people do on ladders. Unsurprisingly though, some of the people in those memes are so skilled and they know their ladders so well, they are willing to take risks on them. They are just a few among the masses of people in the world who would be that good on a ladder to be able to safely achieve a circus-level stunt. The majority of those memes are simply photos of reckless acts. People who saw a problem and they decided they wanted to risk injury or death while on their ladder to achieve a goal.

You might have reflected on climbing an A-frame ladder and asking someone to stand on the side of your ladder to hold it steady and hand you an item you need to take up with you. I just want to point out that the A-frame ladder was not designed to have someone holding it but yet we see many people doing that. I haven’t seen a warning sticker on a single A-frame ladder stating that anyone must hold it down. I did see one stating that you should not stand on the top rung past the platform. You see the top rung is for your hands and not your feet and it offers support for the platform and tools to be placed on. The A-frame ladder should be placed on a stable ground surface so you can climb up, reach down for items and reach up and place that item on a platform just above you so you have access to it. I am sure that people know these things but they often say they feel better or safer having a “spotter” for safety or they feel a sense of support knowing that someone is holding the ladder for them. Some people state that they have someone holding the A-frame ladder because the ladder is “wobbly” or old and frail.

If we are in a leadership position what is our goal in reaching new heights? Have we worked on the stability of our organizations in laying a foundation? Is anyone ready to climb just yet? Are subordinates fearful of taking on the leader’s role and why? We have to do the groundwork in our organizations and that means planning, development, goal setting, and having the right tools and the confidence in those tools to allow ourselves and others the opportunity to step up. We might have a few risk-takers among us in our organizations that will draw attention by reaching a goal at all costs but these actions could be reckless. Their personalities might draw attention and even perceived support by a few. They might even achieve a “moment” of success in achieving a goal. I am in no way saying that risk-taking is wrong, we need not fear a challenge, and calculated risk-taking can be very rewarding for everyone. I am saying that reckless leaders often succumb to either karma or gravity that often leads to disastrous outcomes for them and the few who support them. The people observing those reckless leaders might be fascinated and might even be in awe but in some weird way, they fanaticized about the anticipated failure. They make comments like, “We all saw that coming a mile away” and those leaders while they may believe they are masters of their tools, only achieve short-lived momentary goals.

If you are in a position of leadership have you done an assessment of your tools, your skills, and the motives of those around you? Can you bring others to new heights with those tools? Start by asking yourself the following questions: Why do people have to hold your ladder? Are they unwilling to climb it themselves and why? Are you confident in your own skills? Is your ladder on unstable ground? Does the higher you climb in your organization make you feel alone and more vulnerable to failure? Are you in an organization that resists change because things have always been done the same way? Are you simply the only one climbing the old frail ladder? Is anyone willing to hand you the tools you might need on the ladder? What kind of support do you need to meet your goals? Are your goals achievable and will they have momentary or long-term success?

Leaders step up for a variety of reasons and the higher they rise the more exposed they become. Good leaders show their subordinates their value and their worth and they hold themselves and everyone at every level accountable to their role. Everyone at every level understands the value of planning in achieving and maintaining long-term outcomes. Good leaders know the potential of the subordinates they lead, they have the emotional intelligence to acknowledge their own skills, and they can readily identify those who are willing to do the groundwork that sets a foundation to stand on. Leaders need to have the confidence to set on ladders that are placed on stable ground and they do it through developing their own skills and investing in building the strengths of their subordinates. They should acknowledge that even the strongest ladders could fall if placed on unstable ground. Good leaders know their tools and they inspect them for safety, replace them when needed, and maintain them often. Just because other leaders have used the same ladder time and time again, good leaders know that there will come a time to get a new ladder. They act when they are alerted to danger because they have clear methods of communication at every level of their organizations.

Good leaders look for innovation and when they see inefficient practices they invest in development; they take corrective action or replace poor performers; they change roles to achieve the best potential from people; they forecast the big picture by sharing the vision; they mentor others, and best of all they listen and take action. If their subordinates wouldn’t be willing to climb ladders in their own organization that should be a red flag for them to start asking some questions. It should be seen as an early warning sign that the ladder has become unsafe. If this is you then I would caution you because you may not see what others see and you might be unknowingly taking a risk similar to the reckless climber that they are watching and waiting to see fall. You might have a few holding the frail ladder below you but if you fall you risk bringing them down with you. Instead of feeling confident that they are there, you should have listened to the others who told you that the ground was unstable or the ladder was weak. Leaders who strive for a moment might achieve that goal after going up and down on the old and frail ladder. They might be complacent and get to a point of comfort knowing that they have a few loyal supporters who are willing to hold the ladder for them.

Good leaders who face challenges and problem solve don’t just climb ladders, they show others the value of the tools and the value of the foundations they set as a team. They emphasize the importance of supporting each other and they build confidence by proving them with the right training and the tools to get things accomplished as a team. When leaders build strong foundations in their organizations, they can put two ladders side by side to build a bridge between them. They create a culture of legacy, efficiency, and process improvement that enables input at every level. They build platforms that other leaders can climb on, sit on, place tools on, and everyone in their organization has a clear understanding of the vision and their role in long-term success.

They have a clear plan in achieving goals and when they climb a ladder, they know the job ahead of them and how to bring the tools they need to the next platform. The only support they need is one of collaborative affirmation that those below are handing them the tools they need to get the job done. They reward communication that identifies instability or danger. Good leaders become great leaders when they are able to allow others to step up on the ladders and they can lead unilaterally from the front or the back. Great leaders seek long-term success for their organization and they feel accomplished in knowing that they played a role in allowing others to climb higher and see further than they ever imagined.