It's March and signs of Spring are upon us. Devoid of snow, this photo was taken on my travels in Wisconsin. Red is my spirit color. It is the one that rejuvenates me, renews me, excites me, and fulfills my desire to be noticed. There I said it! It links my inside spirit to my outside appearance.
I've always wondered why bridges are painted red. When researching I discovered, it's a cost matter. According to Bustamante Engineers, Inc. "Red paint is cheap. Before paints became common and affordable, farmers still needed a way to protect their barns. To solve this problem, they mixed together three things they had plenty of - skimmed milk, lime, and rust (iron oxide). This mixture created a red, paint-like coating that protected the wood and helped warm the barn in the winter. Therefore, covered bridges are typically painted red because it is less expensive."
For me, a red bridge is a connection. It provides protection from the elements but also strengthens the relationship between land and water. It becomes a catalyst in bridging the gap between one space to another.
In leadership development, "a catalyst leader creates and communicates a clear purpose and vision for the organization. Based on this, they co-create the strategy with their leadership team. In order to do this any catalyst leader needs to have excellent communication skills" (Agile-Academy).
I have to confess in my doctoral studies I never came across a catalyst leader as a leadership style. Sohrab Salimi, Agile Academy, states, "Personally, I came across the terms catalyst leader and catalyst leadership through the book 'Leadership Agility' written by Bill Joiner and Stephen Josephs. In their Leadership Agility framework, the Catalyst is one of five leadership levels, including Expert, Achiever, Co-Creator, and Synergist. Some of the great leaders of our time e.g. Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, and Jeff Bezos demonstrate many of the key characteristics of catalyst leaders."
As always I recommend referring to the rest of the article or in this case a website that provides certification as a Catalyst Leader. (https://www.agile-academy.com/en/agile-leader/catalyst-leadership/#:~:text=A%20catalyst%20leader%20creates%20and,to%20have%20great%20communication%20skills)
I believe being a catalyst leader, as the definition suggests, is a person or thing that precipitates an event. Someone who can spur conversation, stimulate learning, prompt motivation, encourage success, induce excitement, and incite leadership skill development in others. As with most effective leadership styles, It is someone who leads with others in mind.
So when building bridges, consider all the catalysts that make it a trusted relationship between you as the leader and the other person as the follower. Figuratively paint it red in your mind to generate excitement in you and passion in others.
As Simon and Garfunkel (1969) wrote and sang, respectively, "Like a bridge over troubled water I will ease your mind." Be someone who brings ease to the workplace and bridges the gap between us and them.
What She Said ~ Beverly
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