As many of you may already know, I am a fly fisherman.  When I fly fish, I feel connected to nature and to Spirit - and I feel nurtured and fed.  However, fly fishing has also taught me a great deal - about myself and about my role as a leader.

While on vacation this summer in Southern Utah, I had the opportunity to do some fly fishing.  Southern Utah was an area I had not fished before - you could say that the waters were unfamiliar to me.  How to fish them, what type of fly to use, where to fish were all questions I struggled with.  The way in which I had previously fished familiar waters was not all that applicable to this situation although the foundational skills I needed were all the same.  Needless to say - after day 1, I was struggling and frustrated.

While back at camp, I came across a quote on the back of the Fremont River Guides brochure that went something like this - "We are shaped by the waters we fish.  Personal preferences combined with various experiences will determine how we evolve and grow as anglers."  In that moment I realized the bigger lesson for me.  Just as the waters I was fishing - unfamiliar and uncomfortable - were shaping me as an angler as I adapted and adjusted in order to be successful - so too had all of my numerous experiences in leadership in various organizations shaped me as a leader.

We become and develop as leaders within organizational, community and family cultures, and although our skills may be universal - we are shaped by the cultures within which we function.  If we reframe the quote on the back of the fishing guide brochure in the context of leadership we may gain some additional insights.

 "As leaders, we are shaped by the cultural aspects of the organizations in which we serve.  Our own individual styles and preferences combined with our practice and experience will help us grow and develop our leadership potential."

Every experience we have presents an opportunity - the idea is not to overcome it but rather to adapt to it, learn from it, be shaped by it.  And as part of our leadership development - spend time thinking about it.

My invitation to you is to spend some time thinking about your leadership waters and how they are shaping you.  Are you fully conscious about how they are shaping you or are they sweeping you quickly down stream? Are you feeling in the rhythm - feeling free, and flowing or are you feeling frustrated, angry, and in resistance?  Every experience you have - even those that may not feel comfortable - are helping you in your growth and evolution as a leader.  Just as the human condition is part of life - organizational cultures are part of the landscape of our leadership journey.

2011 Prayer Chaplain Trainers Workshops - Only 2 Workshops Remaining in 2011