The King of the Goldfish, Part II - Leading the Rhinos

In my last article, I wrote about what it costs a leader when a new administration invades their once-familiar space. The king of the goldfish finds their bowl suddenly crowded with rhinos.

But what happens when the king of the goldfish is asked to lead on land?

A colleague recently shared that after years of excelling in one role, they were asked to step into a very different kind of leadership. And it led me to wonder about what happens after the LinkedIn announcement and the celebrations, when you are left thinking about your first day on the job... and then... panic.

You scramble to mentally build the image of the leader you are supposed to become, looking around at the rhinos who already seem to know how to lead here.

But what if the job isn't calling you to become the rhino?

What if the task before you is learning how to breathe on land?

Not to ignore what is new. Not to pretend the change doesn't exist.

But how do you adapt to the terrain without abandoning your wisdom?

How do you learn to live among the rhinos without believing you need to blend into the crash? (Yes, yes, I wanted to say herd, but let’s keep this metaphor technically accurate.)

Who could blame the goldfish for thinking the safest choice is to erase what makes it different? The rhino appears intimidating, with its bellows, its size, and the speed of its charge. What place does the goldfish have among rhinos?

Yet in focusing on where they do not compare, the goldfish forgets the gifts they bring.

When you look at the people around you, already familiar with navigating this terrain, what do you start to believe you lack as you seek to compare?

And what happens when the goldfish starts to lead from lack?

Does the goldfish act bigger than it is, puffing up its gills to stand tall with the others? Does it pretend it has a horn? Does it bellow when its instinct is to stay calm?

What does the organization lose when a leader starts performing instead of bringing the qualities that made them valuable?

Perhaps it loses a new vision developed outside this land, something the rhinos could never know if they’ve never left the plains. A quirky little fish swagger shaped by waters the rhinos have never known.

Being a goldfish among the rhinos asks a lot.

It is uncomfortable. You may feel like an outsider. There may be self-doubt.

But what if the differences making you question whether you belong are also part of what you have to offer?

So, to the leaders finding themselves in a new land:

Learn to breathe.

And never forget you are a goldfish. 🙏💕✨

Marni Pasch, ACC