As a leader, do you want to be considered a lion – or a sheep? I think I know the answer, but in case you need any additional encouragement, consider these characteristics of sheep:

1. Timid, fearful, easily panicked

Hmm…are these words that you want to be used to describe you? Timidity in the face of today’s challenges doesn’t seem like the attribute we want to be displaying as leaders.

2. Dumb, stupid, gullible

Clearly, the sheep characteristic of being stupid or gullible is one to eschew. 

3. Stampede easily, vulnerable to mob psychology

Oh, my goodness. Look at this one. I think all of us are seeing examples of sheep all around us. All you have to do is turn on the news and see the mob psychology that is going on. But let’s think about the workplace or other places where you spend substantial amounts of time. It only takes a few to get everyone else worked up. With universities – as just one example – taking tremendous cuts, many faculty and staff are taking on the group’s mentality instead of seeking out their own mentality. 

4. Little or no means of self-defense; can only run

Sheep have no means of self-defense, so of course they run. As a leader, you are stronger than that and you do have means of self-defense – from negativity or other difficult situations.

5. Easily killed by enemies

Although this characteristic of sheep applies to completely killing the animal, for us, let’s consider that we don’t want to be figuratively killed off. We don’t want to lose our focus, our drive, our heart, our purpose, our intent, our strength, or any of the rest of what makes us who we are. Sadly, I talk with people sometimes who say, “I’ve lost my way,” or “I just feel dead inside,” or other similar phrasing. As leaders, you need to keep your focus and intent.

6. Jealous, competitive for dominance

Envy and jealousy are two of the less-attractive emotions. Domination is never particularly attractive either. So that’s all I’m going to say here.

7. Easily “cast” that is, flipped over on their back, sometimes from too much wool. Sheep are unable to right themselves and will die of starvation if not turned over by shepherd.

WOW…this is a very interesting one, I think. Sheep can be flipped over and then can’t get back up without the shepherd turning them back over. Helpless.

8. Need the most care of all livestock

Can we say, “Needy?” A “needy” leader. Not a pleasant image, is it? If you are high-maintenance, that might be considered sheep-like. Baaaa…

Leaders need to be lion-like rather than sheep-like. I know you know that, but if you need encouragement,

As a leader, there are certain qualities and characteristics of lions that you might find useful to consider – for yourself and your “pride.” Let us just take a few minutes to explore these and as with all metaphors, we aren’t going to beat this one to death.

1. Protective

You don’t have to watch very many Discovery Channel shows about lions to see how very protective they are – of territory, themselves, their young, and so forth. As far as being more lion-like, what do you need to be protective of? Protective of yourself? Your money? Your children? Your partner? Your spouse? Your business? Your colleagues? Your position? Your beliefs? So, exactly what do you need to be protective of?

2. Brave

Being lion-like means you are brave and courageous. Naturally, you choose when and where to be brave vs. timid, courageous vs. cowardly. We all make choices every day. Look for opportunities today and every day where you can be brave. It does make a difference, both for you and for others.

3. Willing to fight

Hmm…we know that lions will fight when need be. They don’t pick fights but because they are willing to protect their food, their mates, their territory and so forth, they will fight if necessary. What is the one thing you are willing to fight for?

Many readers are parents and my guess is that many parents would be willing to fight for their children. Or maybe you are a professor who is willing to fight when you see other faculty members being bullied. Maybe you are a teacher who is fighting for particular students who need your “protection.”

What is it for you? Really. What are you willing to fight for? The one thing?

4. Hunters

LOTS of people are concerned right now about financial issues. Someone wrote to me recently that she had overheard middle school girls in the bathroom at a movie talking about how they needed to come up some ways to earn money because after the legislature was over, their parents weren’t going to be able to give them money for the movies any longer. You might be one of the people who is “hunting” for money. You might be hunting for it for your own personal situation or you are hunting money for projects at work or for community needs and the like.

But what else do us lion-like folks hunt for? You might describe it thus:

• Bravery to find what really makes me happy

• Bravery to ignore what others feel is successful and find my own success

• Bravery to dare to make dramatic changes in the path of my career that will also change my personal life…and vice versa

What are you hunting? And just like a lion on the Savannah, you may or may not find it, but you hunt regardless.

5. Group members (part of a pride)

6. Loners in the big scheme of things

The last two – being part of a group (i.e., a pride) and also being somewhat loners in the big scheme of things – let’s think about these together.

As a person who is seeking ways of staying positive, no matter how crazy things are around us, we need both to see ourselves as being part of a pride – a team – a family – a group – an association – a community – or whatever you might call it. We have to deliberately assemble our group – small or large – that will assist us in our – if I can use this word – survival. Lions aren’t part of prides for no reason. There’s a reason. You need a “pride” of your own if you are to “survive” in your positive place.

And, here’s the other part (at least as my little brain considers this), we are also loners in the bigger scheme of things. What I mean by that is, just as lions are not hanging out with all the other animals but rather hang out – sometimes completely alone – but certainly mostly just with a few other lions, we also may need to separate ourselves sometimes.

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