As leaders, how do we handle the storms that come our way? Do we face them head-on, or do we turn and run? There’s a story from the open plains of the U.S. that offers us some wisdom on this topic. Out there, you’ve got two animals, cattle and the American buffalo (or bison) that share the same land but respond to storms in very different ways.
Now, when the skies turn dark and the storm starts rolling in, cattle tend to scatter. They see the danger and think, “We gotta get out of here!” So, they start running away from the storm. But here’s the kicker they can’t outrun it. The storm catches up to them, and since they’re running with it, they end up stuck in the thick of it for a lot longer. They get worn out, separated from their herd, and more vulnerable to whatever other dangers are lurking around. In trying to escape the storm, they just end up making things worse for themselves.
Buffalo, though, are different. When the buffalo see a storm coming, they don’t run away. No, they do the exact opposite. They gather together, brace themselves, and charge right into it. They know that by running straight into the storm, they’ll get through it faster. They’ll face it head-on, get it over with, and come out the other side stronger and more together.
There’s a big lesson in that for all of us who are leading teams, businesses, or communities. Storms are going to come, there’s no getting around it. But how we choose to respond makes all the difference. Do we run from the challenges, hoping they’ll blow over, only to find ourselves stuck in chaos longer than we need to be? Or do we face it head-on, together with our team, knowing that we’ll get through it quicker and be stronger on the other side?
Now, there’s another animal that runs into storms too, the mule. But the mule does something a bit different. When the storm hits, the mule focuses only on itself. It starts kicking at everything around it, thinking, “I just need to survive this.” It doesn’t care if it hurts others in the process, as long as it gets through. The mule’s out there looking out for #1, but in the end, that behavior just causes more harm than good.
The buffalo, on the other hand, stick together. They lean into the storm as a herd, knowing they’re stronger when they face it as a group. It’s about “we” not “me.” They understand that when you tackle a challenge together, you get through it faster and safer than if you were trying to go it alone.
So, as leaders, we have a choice. Do we want to be like the buffalo, charging into the storm together with our team? Or do we want to act like the mule, focusing only on ourselves and leaving the rest to fend for themselves?
We face storms everyday how we lead will determine our future more than any other factor. Because when we stick together, there’s no storm we can’t handle.
Always Forward.
