Kings and Queens of the Mountain

Haughtiness hurts people. The other day I saw some children at play on a large vacant lot where someone had dumped a mound of dirt. They were playing the greatest of kid games: King of the Mountain. The rules are as simple as they are brutal: fight your way to the top, and shove off anyone who threatens to take your spot. It was a slugfest of crawling, pushing, and falling. King of the Mountain is not just a kid’s game. Versions are played in every dormitory, classroom, boardroom, and bedroom. And since mountaintop real estate is limited, people get shoved around. Mark it down: if you want to be king, someone is going to suffer. Your uppitiness won’t prompt a Bethlehem massacre, but it might prompt a broken marriage, an estranged friendship, or a divided office.- Lucado, Max. Because of Bethlehem.

We have all been there. Whether it was on the playground or in the work environment, we have witnessed that one (or more) person who tries to claw their way to the top. Successful leaders are the one who work their way up, pull their team with them, and help others climb the ladder of success.

Much like investing, leadership works one investment (influential act) at a time. Successful leaders don't crush the very people that give them the "power" to act. Their paths are not riddled with those they climbed over to get to the top. They do their jobs, pursue the organizational mission, and have compassion for those they lead. 

As you make your way up the career ladder, create a leadership environment of team building and unity of effort. The payoff may very well be better than the salary achieved by using your people for personal gain.

Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge - Digging a Little Deeper

• What type of leader are you?
• What are your goals?
• How are you achieving those goals?
• Do you need a course correction?

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Pam McDonald is a writer/editor for BLM Wildland Fire Training and Workforce Development and member of the NWCG Leadership Committee. The expressions are those of the author.