Playgrounds and Sandboxes | leadership style
I am sure that you have heard the illustration of how children react on a playground when the fence is taken away. It’s one of those illustrations that every pastor in America has used at one time or another, kind of like the father and son at the railroad draw bridge.
Apparently when children are released onto a playground yard that lacks a fence, then they tend to gather together tightly and not wander off. It sounds good, but I would be willing to bet that some of the kids were fine with it and willing to wander off and check things out beyond their normal boundaries.
Or at least I would like to think I would. I have found that I need a pretty big playground.
There is an important component to helping people achieve their potential as a leader, and that is understanding how the people on your team respond to various conditions.
Some people need/want a small controlled reality in order to feel comfortable and not feel overwhelmed. Others need lots of room and freedom in order to not feel constrained or micromanaged.
As a leader, I want to facilitate and create the ideal sandbox for people on my team and protect that reality so that they can be in their sweet spot, and occasionally stretch them with some sandbox expansion.
What does your sandbox look like?
