Holding Up the Sky

May 2024 – By Devin Fedor, Senior Director of Organizational Design and Effectiveness, Great Minds

Change has been taking up space in my mind lately. I find myself surrounded by change, personally and professionally, and I am often called on to help teams navigate change more effectively. Reactions to change can range from mild to extreme, from excitement to dread. For leaders, managing change efforts and supporting others through transitions are among the most important and challenging aspects of their role.

Many are familiar with the idiom “the sky is falling,” originating from the European folk tale Henny Penny, widely known in the U.S. as Chicken Little. In the tale, a small hen, startled by an acorn falling on her head, mistakenly believes the world is ending. She quickly spreads word of the sky’s collapse to the other animals, oblivious to the true cause of her fright. Such panic-inducing reactions often occur when confronted with the unexpected and unknown.

Showing up as a leader demands the delicate balance of empathizing with others’ experiences and reactions while clarifying that the perceived catastrophe is merely an acorn falling. Simply put, when everyone else is Chicken Little proclaiming “the sky is falling!”, it falls upon the leader to hold up the sky. The higher one ascends in leadership, the greater the responsibility to uphold it—requiring greater strength and resilience. When faced with holding up the sky, several critical questions emerge:

• How do I show up in the face of the unexpected and unknown?
• How can I build and maintain resilience in myself and others?
• How can I reframe problems as challenges and opportunities?
• How do I prioritize self-care to effectively care for others?
• Who holds up the sky for me?
• Who stands beside me, sharing the load?

As Dr. Askhari Johnson Hodari aptly said, “If everyone helps to hold up the sky, then one person does not become tired.” Leadership transcends fair-weather conditions. Leaders must weather all storms and uncover the opportunities for growth and beauty amidst adversity, even when others perceive impending doom.