In Part One, Ida (a coach at The Coaching Lens) tells the story of an old Irish Fisherman’s sweater – one of those heavy, cream coloured, cable wool sweaters that she knitted painstakingly by hand using the traditional Aran Diamond and Honeycomb stitches.  Here in Part Two, she shares what she learned about Leadership from that same Fisherman’s Knit Sweater.

While that beautiful Fisherman’s Knit Sweater is my touchstone for reminding me who I am and what I can do, it also reminds me that I did not do it alone.  When I look back, I see the circle of positivity that surrounded me: friends, family and even some strangers.

Just as I was not afraid to take on the challenge, I also was not afraid to share what I was attempting and to enlist the help of others.  I was in “Learner” Mode and went out of my way to find people who offered support without judgment.  No one said, “You aren’t experienced enough to knit a whole sweater!  It’s too hard, you’ll abandon it for sure, so don’t waste your time and money!”

Instead, I heard “If you run into anything, I’ll help you.”  I learned to ask for that help and to find that others would give it gladly.  Perhaps my favourite words of advice apply to both sweaters and life:  “It’s the mistakes and how you handle them, that make it unique.”

So my Aha! Leadership Moment comes down to this:  Imagine what could be accomplished if that same environment were always there in the workplace.  Imagine how many stretch goals could be met with people working together who knew when to ask for help and when to give help.

And truly great leaders create an environment of trust for all sides so that confidence, enthusiasm and potential can flourish within a supportive circle of wisdom and experience.   Reach out to us at The Coaching Lens — we offer Leadership, Team and Personal Coaching to help reach those stretch goals.