Dismantler or Developer

Recently, I was sitting at a restaurant where they served both a buffet and the

freedom to order from the menu as well. What freedom to choose! As I sat there,

watching people approach the buffet became my entertainment. You should try it

sometime. 

There were “a little bit of this and a little bit of that” kind of people. There were the

“reach across and grab it before anyone else can” kind of people. There were the “let’s

think about it for a few minutes,” and the "what pairs best with my palate” kind of people.

There were the “zone protectors” who owned the buffet a half foot on either side of

their body width and would stare people down if they encroached. Finally, there were

the “pile it high or die” people. 

What was intriguing was that with so many different kinds of people, when it came to

eating fried chicken they all turned into vultures gripping, ripping, stripping, dipping, and

inhaling that poor bird. Like contractors on demo day, they dismantled and picked apart

everything.

Like people at a buffet, leaders will approach things differently, but all with the same

choice; to dismantle or develop. Those who dismantle will, like the vultures described

above, leave carnage and carcasses throughout their workplaces. Those who develop

create opportunities to grow and learn. What kind of leader are you?