Steep Angles

When I was younger and a fresh single-family homeowner, I had to replace our deteriorating roof. It was not a big roof, but with my family's limited funds, I turned to my coworkers at the firehouse; isn't that a blessing? They turned out, too!

I harbor minimal skills in the trades. Roofing is certainly not one of my skills. Fortunately, many folks in the fire service have those skills, and I learned a valuable lesson the day my friends helped me.

While walking up the steep roof angle, my "foreman" for the day instructed me to stand more upright. He explained that the steeper the angle, you need to hunch over less. Stand upright, and your traction will improve by transferring the pressure of your weight onto the roof.

The lesson was not lost on a leadership mind. Stand upright while scaling a problematic challenge; you'll gain more traction. Do not hunch over in defeat or nervousness over the steepness of your climb. Stand upright if you're having challenges with an officer or chief officer. You may be in a difficult ethical dilemma in life; stand upright.

My partner and I were witness to an assault of a patient by emergency department staff. It needed to be addressed, and this event was dealt with through the chain of command. However, it was challenging: shunning from ED staff and even questions from a few coworkers. The angle was steep, and the climb frustrating, but my partner and I stood upright, gained traction, and accomplished the right thing.

Leaders need to stand upright with dignity and humility and climb.

-Todd