Coach people to take risks.

Risk isn't distinguished between good and bad. It's more helpful to make the distinction between reckless and careful risk. Careful risk is key to growth.

Are you coaching people to take risks? Taking risks is a pathway for growth.

Risk isn't distinguished between good and bad. It's more helpful to make the distinction between reckless and careful risk. Careful risk is key to growth.

There was this one time when I was playing with a knife as a kid. You know where this story is going. I was playing with a knife, trying to cut this plastic toy, but I didn't really know how to use a knife. I simply knew that it could do the job. The knife slipped toward my opposite hand and sliced into my finger. It was cut to the bone and my parents never found out (story for another day).

A few years back when my kids were about 10, I taught them how to properly use a knife on a camping trip. I taught them the parts of a knife, how to open the knife, how to hold the knife, knife safety, and techniques on how to use the knife. As they used the knife, I was scared that they would make the same mistakes I did. But I didn't stop them from using a knife.

Now, I let them use a knife when they want and I watch them, but they are appropriately careful with it. Have I seen them slip? Yup. Have I seen them make questionable decisions? Yes. Were they able to self-correct? For sure. Their attitude toward the knife was one with respect. They respected the risk. They were trained and they took risks carefully.

Without taking risks, you can’t grow beyond your current capacity. Taking risks might be putting an idea out there. It might be competing in a sport. It may be launching a new product. Or it could be championing a new idea. Whatever it is, you need it to grow. The difference is how you go about taking the risk. Will it be reckless or careful?

The same is true for those you lead. Coach them to respect risk. Teach the pitfalls of reckless risk. Develop skills to actively manage risk. Create systems to prevent reckless risk. Coach them to take risks carefully. Then give them the freedom to take the right risks. Then watch those people thrive.