Be the Beacon

I've been in PEI this past week for some much deserved R&R.  It's an idyllic island with stunning beaches and some of the best seafood you're ever likely to eat.  PEI, not surprisingly, has a lot of lighthouses. Many of these lighthouses were retired long ago due to modern navigation methods but some lighthouses remain very active - shining their lamps out over the water to help ocean craft stay on course. 

The PEI lighthouses have become quite the tourist attraction.  In fact, one of the families that we're staying with on the island took their kids to see one of them just yesterday.  They said the lighthouse they visited was interesting, but they were disappointed that it wasn't operational.  The kids were all excited about seeing the giant revolving lamp up close and although the structure itself was unique, the fact that the lamp was turned off just didn't cut it for the little ones.  Without the lamp, the lighthouse was a structure without a purpose.  Its soul seemed to be missing and everyone could feel it.

Companies need leaders the same way that rugged coastlines need working lighthouses.  They need the kind of leaders that shine a light over their people, guiding them safely to where they need to be.  Leaders without the lamp are neither effective nor attractive.  They're artifacts that have an outer shell but no inner soul and while their presence may serve as a reminder of past contributions they are not much use to us today.

Be the beacon not the bones.