My parachute had been triple checked. My backup chute was checked…the jump master shouted over the noise of the wind and airplane engine that it was my turn to jump. My hands grabbed the metal bar which ran from the jump door to the mid point of the Cessna’s wing. My feet had finally left the inside of a perfectly good airplane which was flying at an altitude of nearly 4000 feet. Two seconds later, I had a silly ass grin plastered on my face as I was falling toward the Earth below.

I have never liked heights. This was something that I thought would help me conquer this phobia. In some ways it did, but I still find myself not totally comfortable with them. If my hotel room has a balcony that opens up to a beautiful panoramic view of the city from 25 floors up, I’m just a little nervous when I step outside to enjoy my morning Spark.

An altitude of 4000 feet is quite a long drop…that is unless you’re in Denver, CO where you would technically find yourself 1200 or so feet below ground. It is all a matter of perspective. Here are three quick thoughts regarding how your perspective can positively improve your leadership and your results:

1. Where are they coming from? If you have just hired someone who had shown up to work at the company they had dedicated the previous 20 years of their life to, only to find it closed and out of business…Don’t be surprised if they are slow to trust everything you say.

2. Paint the picture. Skydiving was one of the greatest experiences of my life. There is nothing which can hold a candle to God’s paintbrush. As a leader, it is your job to paint a picture which captures the vision and emotion of those around you.

3. Model successful people. A jump master must complete hundreds of jumps in order to qualify as a jump master. I certainly was not the guy to second guess someone with that kind of credibility when it came to anything regarding skydiving. Who are the top people in your industry? Model them…you will improve your leadership skill set!

I’m looking forward to my next jump, the thrill, and the memory!