Precipitation

Happy New Year! 

I have had to write two references for two people for completely different things in the last 10 days. One reference actually asked me to comment on the candidates major strengths and their major weaknesses. That was tough, I hadn’t noticed many major weaknesses when they worked with me. Of course there were some, and like most of us, often our major strengths can also be our major weaknesses.

Precipitation is the same. When it is cold enough precipitation becomes snow. A major strength if you run a business in the mountains in the ski season.

But if the temperature rises, then snow becomes rain, and the precipitation becomes a weakness as it washes away all the snow faster even than just a temperature rise without precipitation.

Whether precipitation is a good thing or a bad thing during the ski season depends on the temperature – external circumstances. Our strengths and weaknesses are like that too. They depend on the circumstances in which we find ourselves. Winston Churchill had strengths that made him one of the greatest leaders ……during war-time but peace-time was a different story. 

I have just been skiing (thanks to a generous god-mother and my parents) so we have been taking a keen interest in the weather. Precipitation has been forecast but it is of course the external environment, the temperature, that will determine if the water-laden clouds are going to release their contents as snow or rain. Skier’s heaven or hell?

I have now been a full time volunteer for Mercy Ships for 4 years. And as I reflect on my time and my leadership, I think that for the most part, my external circumstances thus far, have allowed my strengths to flourish. I am thankful for that and pray it continues.

But I also ask myself the question, what temperature am I setting for others? Am I allowing their strengths to flourish too? Just like water-laden clouds, the people I lead are laden-full of talents.  So as a leader I want to set the temperature so they can release their talents like thick chunky snow flakes, that bring a taste of heaven to earth.

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year, and may you find yourself in circumstances that enable you to grow and flourish and may you help others to do the same.