Whatever it is you want to do, you shouldn’t let fear get in
your way. Fear, for most leaders, is less a crippler than a moti-
vator. As Brooke Knapp said, “I started flying because I was
afraid of it. If you give not 90 percent or 95 percent but 100
percent, you can make anything happen. The greatest opportu-
nity for growth lies in overcoming things you’re afraid of.” She
went on to become one of America’s leading flyers.
In the second instance, the issue is more complex. We all
know people who are driven to succeed, never mind at what or
how, who are never satisfied, and who are often unhappy. It is
entirely possible to succeed and satisfy yourself simultaneously,
but only if you are wise enough and honest enough to admit
what you want and recognize what you need.
For the third instance I’ll refer again to that feckless fellow
Ed. If he had thought more about what he wanted and what his
company needed, he wouldn’t have driven himself off the track.
But he spent his energies doing and proving, not being. Some
corporate cultures are so rigid that they require absolute obedi-
ence to the corporate line. Others are flexible, adjustable, and
adaptable. By knowing the flex in yourself and the flex in the
organization, you’ll know whether you’re a fit or not.
DESIRE
Brooke Knapp said, “Some people are lucky enough to be born
with desire and the ability to make things happen. I’ve always
had a desire to achieve. It’s not calculated. It’s as natural as eat-
ing to me.”
Former CalFed CEO Robert Dockson was lucky, too. “I
don’t think you can be taught dedication, purpose, and a sense
of vision,” he said. “I don’t know where that comes from.”
On Becoming a Leader