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| (Image by Horst Koenemund from Pixabay) |
The physical property of density helps scientists separate liquids. When two liquids are placed in a container, the denser liquid will fall to the bottom. The less dense liquid will rise to the top. (PowerKnowledge - Physical Science)We apply this lesson when we grab the bottle of dressing or make it from scratch. Oil and vinegar do not mix. Left to sit, the liquids separate; the oil will rise and the vinegar will sink. Our liquid density/salad dressing analogy can be applied to leadership as well.
What happens when you put a diverse group of people who don't know each other in a room without any instructions? Like the separation that occurs in our salad dressing, people will form groups—the oils and the vinegars (and maybe a few bits of garlic and pepper suspended in the middle).
A salad dressing or team needs an emulsifier to mix things up and bind those items together into something new. In the case of salad dressing, an emulsifier might be an egg or milk; whereas a leader is an emulsifier of people. Unfortunately, not all emulsifiers are created equal. (Watch the water oil emulsion video.) Some are less stable than others.
Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge - Digging a Little Deeper
- Assess your team. Have groups formed within the team, forming an "us" vs. "them" environment?
- Assess your leadership. Are you a stable or unstable leader?
- Consider team building activities that promote cohesion.
- Lead by example. Do what you say and say what you mean. Inconsistency does not mix!
Pam McDonald is a writer/editor for BLM Wildland Fire Training and Workforce Development and member of the NWCG Leadership Subcommittee. The expressions are those of the author.
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