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Waves

A few years ago, I went to California with my parents to celebrate my dad's sister's anniversary.  My dad and his sister had only just met the year before and she had invited us to meet the rest of her family and celebrate her 50th wedding anniversary.  She and her family graciously showed us around the area.  Since it was my first trip to the west coast, we went to Huntington Beach to check out the Pacific Ocean.  We stopped at a beautiful cove where I took off my shoes and waded knee deep into the water.
I remember how the waves felt pushing against my legs...
I remember how the wet sand squished up between my toes...
I remember how the sun sparkled against the waves...
I remember watching my shoes go out with the tide...
Wait!  No!  My other shoes are at the hotel!  50 miles away!  Although I did manage to grab one of the shoes, it didn't bring much comfort watching the other one drift out to sea, well beyond my reach.
Leadership ebbs and flows like those waves.  Most of the time, you should be able to feel the waves and keep your balance.  You may even enjoy the location and the scenery.
Sometimes the waves are bigger, especially during bad weather.  During the storms, you have to decide if you're going to let the water knock you over, or if you're going to "hang ten" and ride the big waves.  Sometimes you need to jump in to stay afloat.
You must always be present in your leadership to make decisions.  If you're not paying attention when the tide comes in, you could lose your shoes.

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