Your Leap Year
Have you ever studied penguins? I find them to be fascinating in the way they interact with one another. If you’ve ever seen the movie “March of the Penguins,” you know that these little guys travel together in large packs and take excellent care of one another. They move across arctic terrain in all kinds of inclement weather. They are resilient. When they sleep, they snuggle up to keep each other warm. Penguins are loyal and they mate for life. Almost everything they do they do as a community.
But when it comes time to make a decision, such as leaping off an icy ledge into freezing cold water to cross to the next iceberg along their journey, the penguins do not all leap at once.
Instead, there is one penguin who leaps alone before anyone else makes a move.
Picture one brave penguin heading to the edge of the iceberg. He or she looks down at the icy water, then looks back at the thousands of penguin friends standing in the background, and looks down again at the water.
And then jumps.
Alone.
When that lone jumper emerges from the deep waters, it’s the signal to the other penguins that it is safe for them to jump, too.
And they do.
But it is that one lead penguin who takes the risk, jumps, and then watches as the others follow.
If you look at the photo above, you’ll see one of those lead penguins in action.
For me, this picture is aspirational. And it’s the theme I’m taking on in 2024: Take the leap.
As we begin the new year, consider taking on the role of the lead penguin somewhere in your life.
Where could you step up and be more of a leader? Think of the communities you belong to: work, family, neighborhoods, boards of directors, friend groups. In one of those groups, someone is waiting for a leader like you who’s willing to leap first and test the proverbial waters. Because of your action and bravery, they’ll feel more confident when they follow.
Let’s face it: most people are followers. They are willing to do the work and take care of their community, but they usually wait for direction from someone else before they themselves jump into action.
Over the next 12 months, what if that someone is you?
There is a theory called Penguin Leadership. Sean Glaze writes about it in his article, “How Penguin Leadership Will Change Your Team Culture.” He shares three ways we can lead more like a penguin. He explains it simply:
Be willing to try new ideas. This can shake up how people have done things in the past and lead to change.
Changing others' behavior is more about showing than telling. Penguins (like people) are less open to advice and suggestions than you would like to think. They need to see it and be given a challenge to live up to in order to change.
Don't give up. Leadership truly is influence, and sometimes the most influential thing we can do is roll up our sleeves and work as hard as we want others to. Spend time sharing your vision, building relationships… Pretty soon others will rise to the challenge and join you.
Is this easy to do? Nope.
Is it critical for getting people into action, and in making real change?
You bet it is.
Happy New Year, friends! The beauty of a new year is that we all get a reset, a fresh start. Did you know that 2024 is a Leap Year? We even get an extra day on February 29th to do something special.
As you reset for the new year, consider also being the penguin who leaps. Who takes risks. Who tests new things. Who leads others.
What are you going to do in 2024 to truly make it a Leap Year for you?
This Month’s Resources & Cool Ideas
Focus on Your Strengths
It’s easy to be our own worst critic, focus on our weaknesses, and try to get better at things we are not that great at. What if you focus on your strengths instead, and put effort into the things you’re great at? How much more productive, successful and satisfied would you be? Want to know exactly what your Top 5 Strengths are? Take the Clifton Strengths Finder to learn exactly that. For $59.99, it could be a wise investment in your 2024 planning!
Marching Into 2024 With Inspiration
Have you ever seen March of the Penguins? If not, this incredible nature movie will be sure to inspire you. And if it’s been a while since you’ve watched it, I’d encourage you to rewatch it. The refresher might be just what you need to take your leap into 2024.
Write it Down & Make it Happen
There is power in writing down your goals in a journal, and then committing to reading them consistently. But for some people, staring at a blank page can be very intimidating. That’s why Commit Journals were created. The prompts on each pre-formatted page can help you get started with ease. Kick off 2024 right with a journal, a pen, and your big goals.
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