Be The Weathermaker.
Fish. Kettley. Willis. YOU.
This weekend, I’ve been pondering something that a wise person said to me many years ago, that has really stayed with me. They talked about leaders as weathermakers. A simple yet powerful concept.
As leaders, when we show up, we set the weather not just for ourselves, but for those around us. We provide the conditions that help others thrive, survive, or wither.
Most of us do well in broadly consistent warm and sunny conditions, with the occasional bit of cloud, shower or “sod it, let’s go sledging” snow day. No one needs hurricanes, months of torrential rain, blazing forty degree arid heat without respite. No one needs to wake up in the morning with absolutely zero idea of whether they’ll need to wear a bikini or a Dry Robe.
So that’s my job as a leader. To try and bring the weather that helps others to be at their best. That doesn’t mean I can’t authentically have a moment now and again, or that I can’t be honest with my teams if I’m having a tough time. But it does mean that I try my best to turn up with a, mostly, consistent and sunny disposition, that helps others to feel safe and warm in my orbit.
My running training this weekend brought this into sharp focus. On Saturday morning the weather was cold, but dry, bright and sunny. And my run was GLORIOUS. My whole mood shifted for the better, life felt good.
On Sunday, I ran eleven miles in the freezing cold and pissing rain, which despite well wishes and the best tunes I could muster, was just awful. Everything hurt, everything felt too much. Yes, I did it, but it was an unpleasant experience and was definitely not me at my best. The weather just made everything that bit harder, as these two photos show…
So as I head to work tomorrow morning, I am holding front and centre that it’s my job as a leader to be the best weathermaker that I can be - to bring my people more of the Saturday weather, and a bit less of the Sunday.