“Pioneering is never done in front of cheerleaders urging on a roaring grandstand of popular approval.” – George Takei

We like safety.  We’re wired for it.  Ever since our ancestors were living in caves, our number one goal is to be  safe.  If those ancestors were in a cave, with something to eat, and fire, why go outside?  There were lions outside.  Better to stay inside and be safe.

We still function that way.  Maybe we’re not living in caves and worrying about lions, but we still look for what’s safe.  Anything that might threaten us, whether physically or mentally or emotionally, we tend to avoid in the name of safety.

Leaders do the same thing.  Leaders like to talk about being strategic, or forward thinking, or innovative, but for many (most?) of them, it’s just talk.  In the end, change is still scary and doesn’t feel safe.

Even when leaders do try and push forward, it’s quite often only done when it’s safe.  Maybe there is some change that everyone agrees needs to be made.  There’s safety in numbers, so it’s OK to try that one.  Or maybe the government or some regulatory body requires change.  There’s no choice, which means nobody can blame the leader for trying it if it doesn’t go well, which makes it pretty safe.

As leaders, we have to get past safety and into what sometimes is dangerous territory.  No organization was ever very successful by always doing the safest thing imaginable.  We have to get comfortable getting out of the cave, even if it means confronting lions when we’re out there.

That doesn’t mean being stupid, or rash.  If you’re heading out somewhere and you know there might be lions there, at least take some kind of a weapon along, or camouflage yourself, or go really quickly.  Something that prevents complete disaster.

But staying in the cave is not an option.  We have to lead into unknown (dangerous) territory.  We have to push for new things.  We can’t hide and wish it was 1997 all over again. 

It’s 2025, and we have to look forward.  Be brave.