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Chapter 35

A few years ago, while watching aerialist Nik Wallenda’s teeth-clenching, death-defying, and awe-inspiring tightrope walk across the Grand Canyon, I found myself reminded of two other, similar types of daredevil activities to which we can all better relate: living and leading.

While most of us are not literally going to plummet to our death if we make a mistake in our daily lives, as a leader—which includes every one of us, regardless of our official title—it can often feel as if we are all alone in the world, trying to get ourselves and/or our people from point A to point B, hundreds of feet in the air without a safety net.

So what can a Flying Wallenda teach us about the solo wire-walking act that each of us must do each and every day? I’ll get to that in a minute.

But first, some of you may be asking, “What the heck is a ‘Flying Wallenda’?” For those who may not know, Nik Wallenda, a seventh-generation aerialist from the acrobatic Flying Wallenda family, recently walked a high wire across the Grand Canyon. Yes, you read that right: the Grand Canyon, 1,500 feet above the Little Colorado River Gorge. That’s the height of the Empire State Building. In a gusting 35-mph wind. On a two-inch-wide steel cable. With the world watching. And he did it in just under twenty-three minutes. Most of us couldn’t walk a perfectly straight line on a New York City sidewalk in perfect weather for twenty-three consecutive minutes. Regardless, while pondering Wallenda’s incredible feat, I was struck with these ten lessons that can apply to all of us…in leadership and in life:

1. You’re Not Alone Up There. Sometimes, when we’re out there in the world doing our thing, it can feel as if we’re up there all alone on a high wire (and, for some, with the added burden of carrying a bunch of additional people on our shoulders!). But if you surround yourself with a team of people who care about and support one another, and are cheering each other on, it makes the journey much more manageable, and so much more fun. Whether it’s creating your own personal Board of Advisors, or just having a trusted mentor, coach, friend, or significant other to talk to, it’s important to build a support network that you can rely on.

2. Know Who to Listen to—and When. During the walk, Wallenda was hooked up by microphone to his father, who whispered in his ear the entire time, guiding and encouraging him. While that was helpful at certain points, there were also times that he needed to tell his father to, basically, “shut up,” so he could focus on what he was doing without distraction. Having a mentor, coach, or advisor is invaluable, but there are certain times when we need to quiet those external voices so that we can concentrate, focus, think, decide, and act on our own. While it’s good to seek the input of trusted others, ultimately, decisions need to be made between you and your own inner voice.

3. There are People Rooting for You…to Fall. The brutal reality is that there were people who—for various reasons—were waiting, and hoping, and rooting for Wallenda to fail…and to fall. The same goes for each of us who set foot on the tightrope of life. It’s important to know who you can trust, and who you can’t. Surround yourself with people who have your back, and separate yourself as much as possible from those who want to hold you back or drag you down.

4. Don’t Look Down, and Don’t Look Back. Once you’ve begun your journey, move full steam ahead without looking back. Second-guessing yourself only serves to undermine your own confidence and others’ confidence in you. And while it’s probably a breathtaking view, looking down will only make you dizzy and distract you from reaching your goal. Avoid temptations, distractions, and self-doubt, and keep your head held high as you venture forward with conviction and confidence.

5. Stop and Catch Your Breath Occasionally. A few times along the way, Wallenda stopped for a moment. Yes, he just stopped and squatted down. On the wire. To catch his breath. To take it all in. To regroup, recalibrate, and refocus. There are times, even when a deadline is pressing, that we need to hit the pause button, if only for a moment, to take a deep breath and re-center before moving on to the next step.

6. Keep Your Eyes on the Prize. Wallenda had one—and only one—goal: to get from one side of the Canyon to the other. That overwhelming sense of purpose and unwavering focus led to his success. Too often, we try to please everyone and do too many things at once. When we do, we end up doing none of them successfully.

7. Confidence is Key. Harvard professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter once defined “confidence” simply as “the expectation of a positive outcome.” Having faith in yourself, backed up by positive self-talk, will help you to battle the negative voices of doubt and fear (what Seth Godin always refers to as our “lizard brain”). Positivity, hope, and optimism are crucial ingredients to your success. During his walk, Wallenda was talking to himself (as well as to certain “unseen others”) aloud and with enthusiasm, from start to finish. As Henry Ford said, “If you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.”

8. Don’t Start with the Grand Canyon. As a seventh-generation aerialist, Wallenda had been working towards this monumental feat practically since birth. From walking on a rope just a few inches above his childhood backyard to walking a tightrope across Niagara Falls the year before, Wallenda’s conquest of the Grand Canyon was many years in the making. It’s important to dream big, but it’s equally important to recognize our limitations, set challenging-but-doable goals, and have realistic expectations. Then, once accomplished, we can incrementally build on those goals and take our game to the next level.

9. Practice, Practice, Practice. Cervantes said, “To be prepared is half the victory.” Though we like to say that someone is “a natural” or “an overnight success,” it is more likely that we failed to notice the behind-the-scenes years of blood, sweat, and tears that led them to that point. Being willing to take intelligent risks and having the resiliency to bounce back from the inevitable setbacks along our journey is what separates those who make it up to and across the canyon from those who don’t.

10. Don’t Forget to Reflect, Celebrate, and Share the Success. When Wallenda finally made it to the other side, after the hugs and kisses and pats on the back, he took a moment—on his own—to walk back over to the lip of the Canyon and reflect in silence on what he had just accomplished. When questioned about the rumors about his next endeavor—a possible high-wire walk between the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building—Wallenda responded that he just wanted to rejoice in the moment before thinking about the future. Too often, we move on to the next challenge before making the time and taking the time to reflect on and to celebrate our accomplishment…along with recognizing the contributions of the people who helped us along the way.

So as you ponder the incredibleness of Nik Wallenda’s amazing feat, I hope the insights gained and the lessons learned will inspire you to new heights.

In Review

The Big Lesson: Lessons in leadership and in life are hiding in plain sight all around us—if we just pause to notice them. And though it may not be televised live for millions of people around the world to see, we are each, every single day, in some way, walking a tightrope across the Grand Canyon.

The Big Question: In what ways is your life and/or your job, at certain times, like walking a tightrope? And how might any of these ten tips help you to make your way successfully across from one end to the other?

Your Big Insight:

Your Big Action: