10 March 2010

The Pain Chart

Have you ever gone to the hospital for a check up or to get medicine for a sickness?

If so you've probably noticed the pain chart that hangs in every doctor's office on the face of the planet. It's that simple little chart that lists the severity of a patient's pain on a scale of 1 to 10 using various expressions of the classic "smiley face."

On pain level "1" the face doesn't contort to much and doesn't seem to be in too much pain. Pain level "10" is a totally different story though. On level "10" the smile is gone from the "smiley face" and the actual color has changed from a pleasant yellow hue to a harsh red full of pain and suffering.

I bring up the pain chart today because it teaches a great principle of leadership that we all must learn to appreciate and appropriate if we are ever going to be successful in our endeavors. We must learn to assess our level of pain and understand how to deal with it.

Dr. Sam Chand says that, "A leader's level of leadership is directly proportionate to his or her threshold for pain."

What a telling statement.

It is not that we're only as good as what we produce, but rather we're only as good as what we can endure. In short, what level on the pain chart are you at?

Leadership is a painful experience. People can't see as far as you can see, people can't hear as clearly as you can hear, people can't believe as fervently as you believe, etc. People will misunderstand you and misinterpret your efforts to drive the organization forward. People will lose faith and trust in you. People will betray you.

What level on the pain chart are you at?

I've said it a million times before: we must learn how to properly process pressure. In our context for today it is equally valid to say: we must learn how to properly process pain. We must realize that pain is a part of the process of leadership. Once you grasp that simple insight you will be better prepared to deal with the various challenges and trials of leadership.

Remember the greater your vision, the greater the guarantee of pain. All great visions attract great pain. Alexander the Great conquered the known world by the time he was 30...he died before 40, Martin Luther tacked his 95 theses to the door at Wittenburg...he was excommunicated from the Church and labeled a lifelong heretic, the American settlers battled against the tyranny of English rule and reign in order to secure a country of their own...they fought and died for the cause in the American revolution.

All great visions attract great pain.

With this in mind we must prepare ourselves to endure more pain. If we know that pain is a part of the process of leadership we would be smart to develop greater dexterity for the pain that we are guaranteed to face.

I. Have people around you that you can talk with.

I cannot say this enough: friends are your most important assets when dealing with pain. Bring a handful of people that you care about and that care about you into your life and allow yourself the opportunity to cry on their shoulders. Let these people be the lateral leaders around you that care not about securing your position, but about lifting you to a higher place of leadership.

II. Remember the vision.

This is probably the most cheesy of the tips, but we have got to continually place the vision before us so that we don't lose heart while we face various trials and tribulations. If you have a vision worthy of the pain you will be able to endure. Always remember your suffering is not in vain, but rather is a pothole on the road to fulfilled vision.

III. Journal the journey.

Some of the greatest and most inspiring tales in life are the chronicles of the great explorers. Their journals from the travels around the world have inspired people for generations. The reason is because people can identify with the humanity of the journey. We should take a page from their playbook and journal the journey. Every time you find yourself in the midst of a painful situation take the time to write out what's going on and how you feel. I know this may feel a little counselor's couch-ish, but trust me it is a very therapeutic way to help get your thoughts together and better understand how to deal with the pain you are experiencing.

These three steps are intended to motivate you to find closure for the painful encounters of leadership. While leadership can be painful at times it is the most rewarding thing any of us have ever done. It is the wind in our sails and the desire of our lives. To be pregnant with a vision that will change the world means that when the delivery time comes there will be great pain. Only as we deal with this pain can we bring new life into the world around us. We must know where we are at on the pain chart and be ready to properly process pain so that we can birth our destinies into the earth in our generation.