Rainy Day Leaders
I asked a group the other night to share their favorite rainy day activity. The answers ranged from, “stand out in it and let it wash all over me,” to “bake/cook something comfy.” Growing up in the pacific northwest brought many a rainy day. We have so many words for rain. Spitting, drizzling, pouring, beating, pounding, well, you get the point. But rains bring a pause. Do I have what I need to move through this weather? Do I need a raincoat, an umbrella, or a moment to allow it to cleanse my soul and reset my spirit? Some people said, “Read. Though I read all the time, there is something more cozy when reading and listening to the rain.”
Perhaps the rain symbolizes release, pause, reflection.
For some, the rain isn’t any of those things. It amplifies that they feel unprepared, unsure if these waters will ever end or turn into flash floods. For some, rain symbolizes fear, foreboding, and insecurity.
When the rains come, what kind of leader are you? Are you the one that puts people on edge or are you the one that reflects, sees the rains for what they are and can explain them to your team? Not all rains are gentle (another descriptor) and not all rains are torrential (see what I did there?). Rainy day leaders can clearly articulate to their team what kind of rains they are facing, see each of their team and how they are reacting, and help each one fill in what they need to experience the rains in a way that creates hope and clarity.
Sometimes we need to remind people the rain is welcomed and it is okay to snuggle on the couch with a book and let it pass. Other times we need to supply the rainboots and buckets, because we need to go in and help out.
Cheers to my rainy day leaders out there!
For today:
Blame it on the Rain (heh)
