As a leader, where do you fit into the organization? What is your role within the community? What is your metaphor for leadership?
As a Chuukese Micronesian I grew up with daily interaction with outrigger canoes (waa). We build canoes, sail canoes, paddle canoes and play on the canoes. I grew up around the traditional art of seafaring. Naturally, I think of the canoe when reflecting on a metaphor for leadership.
For me the waa (sailing canoe) represents the organization or community and the leader must aspire to be the teman waa (outrigger). The canoe itself is the most valued part because it holds the crew, passengers, provisions, and the sail.
The teman waa (outrigger) is the leader. A leader is only important and useful in as much as he/she is tied strongly to the canoe itself. The teman waa provides support and stability for the canoe. It enables the canoe to stay upright and moving forward. The outrigger canoe must always remain upwind to keep the canoe from flipping over. Without the canoe, the outrigger is nothing but a fast moving carved thrift wood.
In the art of canoe-carving the outrigger is the single-most strongest piece of rig that is part of the total outrigger canoe. It is carved only after the canoe is done and must be proportionate to the functions of the canoe. It cannot be too small or it will sink under the weight of the crew and provisions, too light or the sail will lift it out of the water thereby overturning the canoe. It cannot be too large or it will force the canoe to move in a circle rather than a straight line, too dull or it will not slice through the waves to stabilize the canoe. It must not be wobbly or it will affect the progress movement of the canoe.
The outrigger canoe can be a life saver. If the entire canoe breaks apart caused by strong waves and wind (which often happens in the open sea), then the outrigger becomes a floating devise to give the crew and passengers a chance to land ashore and start all over again.
As a servant leader, I must be strong, but not overbearing.
I must always understand my responsibility in relation to the needs of the people I serve.
I must strive to be the provider of stability, not the cause of imbalance.
I must be ready to carry the crew on my back to safety if ever the waves of life should ever break apart the canoe.
True leadership is love manifested in action for others. It is humility in words, but strength in service.
