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 One factor that most leaders underestimate is mankind's incredible desire to control his or her own destiny. This intense desire was brought home to me this week while reading James W. Moore's book entitled "Attitude is Your Paintbrush." Moore describes an ancient Persian General who was famous for giving his prisoners two choices. First, they could be put to death by firing squad or second, they could chose what was "behind the black door."
One day after an execution by the firing squad, one of the general's assistants asked him what was behind the Black Door. The general told him that it was freedom. "Why," the assistant asked, "do people choose certain death over the black door, General?" To which the general replied, "Because people would rather face the terrible known that the uncertain unknown."
Today, we can relate this story to a similar response we witnessed on September 11th. We were all troubled by the number of people who threw themselves off the Twin Towers in New York. I asked my family practitioner friend, Dr. Jim Zodrow, why people would make that suicidal leap and he said, "People would rather control their own destiny than to leave their fate to chance. It is almost inexplicable at times, but it is amazing how strong this need is in people."
As a leader in any organization, you must allow your employees to have control over their own destiny. If you do not, you are just placing an adhesive strip over a bad wound. Your treatment may stop bleeding for an instant, but complications will certainly spring up later in a different form.
Unfortunately, people make poor career choices because of the fear of the unknown everyday. Rather than start the business they have always wanted to run, they reluctantly accept re-employment with the company that just laid them off. Rather than seeking the right job in a better place with new and different people, they choose to remain at the job they have been at for the last ten years - the place where everything is predictable and there are no surprises.
Fear of the unknown is apparent in all areas of life - professional and personal. I saw this fear of the unknown in my own children (8 and 10 years old) when we talked about going out for the Swim Team. We showed them where practice was going to be, we introduced them to their coach, but until they had lived through a swim team practice, they were both terribly unsure of themselves and were ready to pass on being members of the Swim Team. Fortunately, after a couple of practices, they became very excited and learned to look forward to participating.
Think about the black door the next time you are forced to make a difficult decision without all of the facts. Will you have the courage to face uncertainty and chose the "Black Door", knowing that the outcome could be good? Or will you choose the certainty of the firing squad like most people? The willingness to step out and try the uncertain is rare. If you have this unique ability, put it to work because you have been blessed with one of the most powerful tools of leadership - courage.
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