At some point every leader comes face to face with the reality that it is time to let go. The "letting go" may not be forever and it may only be a portion. Nevertheless there is a definitive moment when a leader must let go. In that moment they have two decisions - give it away with confidence or with hesitance. In the moment of decision-making the leader is faced with the reality of how well they managed their leadership responsibilities. The "letting go" could be someone who they have mentored, or a project they oversaw. It could be a firstborn heading off to college, or that first overnighter.
This past weekend I had the privilege of letting my son "go" when he earned his driver's license. For the past ten months we have been working towards this moment. We have been practicing on the country roads, in town, and attempted to parallel park several times over. I even started him off driving a stick shift! We discussed the responsibilities and privileges that come with driving. Together we worked, talked, and practiced so that when the time came, we both had confidence that he would be ready for this milestone.
As a dad, I have every right to not "let go." I could come up with many reasons as to why he shouldn't drive, or drive with restrictions. However, there is no reason for that because we have been planning for this exact moment and I have all the confidence in the world that he going to be fine. His mother, well, that's a different story!
To be honest, it is not always as easy for me as the example I shared above. There are other areas in my life where I need to learn to "let go." Leaders want to be in control and fear what will happen when (not if) they lose that control. Anyone leading a family or organization creates an unhealthy culture when they lead from fear and control. Preparation is were we begin. As leaders, it is our responsibility to see the road ahead and identify the moments in which we will have to "let go", including position of leadership! How prepared are you to "let go?"
