Rope

What will you choose to do with it?

This past weekend my twin boys graduated high school. It was a proud, surreal moment as it truly is the end of one chapter rolling right into the beginning of another. As they laughed with friends, posed for pictures, and took in the experience, it was hard not to be a little envious of them as they have their entire futures ahead of them. Candidly, I am beside myself with excitement for what their futures hold.

The most important job of a parent is to raise confident, independent, caring children while giving them the tools they will need to succeed when they eventually leave the nest. As odd as it may sound, it’s not much different when it comes to employees.

I’m a believer in figuratively giving every new employee a strand of rope. Some will use the rope to climb up and reach incredible heights of success, some will see that rope as constricting rather than a path to achievement, while others will use the rope to pull others to victory. But, sadly, some will use that rope to metaphorically hang themselves while failing to accomplish anything.

The point is, once you give someone the autonomy of the rope – along with training, tools, encouragement, support, and patience – it’s up to each individual to decide how they will use it.

My sons have that rope now firmly in their hands, and I have no doubt they will climb that rope to scale incredible peaks of success.