The Slide

Ever been to one of those county fairs where they have the big slide on the runway. You know the one. It’s about three stories tall. You have to ride it on a burlap bag. It’s got two or three humps on it. It’s got parallel tracks so you can race your friends. And for $5 you can wait in line for an hour and enjoy the 3 seconds it takes to slide all the way to the bottom.

I’ve never seen a kid who didn’t want to ride the slide. Even parents who were suspect of the upkeep and safety of other carney row offerings like the ‘whirl and hurl’ and the ‘cereal spiller’ would let their kids ride the slide. Let’s face it, the three hump slide seemed tame next to the upside-down pirate ship.

I’ve ridden the slide. I’ve also watched a lot of people ride the slide. Funny thing about the slide. Every once in a while someone on the slide tries to stop midway. They brace their sneakers against the gun walls, and try to stop their descent. I don’t think they were scared of the slide; most were just trying to show off how cool they were on the slide. Few could ever halt their descent, but a few managed to slow themselves down.

Another funny thing about the slide, it always ended at the bottom. Once you got on it there was only one place you could end up. Down at the bottom.

Leaders know that there are alluring slides all around us. Some are moral slides, flirting with this coworker, viewing this website is no big deal, just a little diversion. Some are integrity slides. Fudge the data on this report so we look a little better. Twist the truth here so we avoid some consequences. Some are discipline slides. I really should study or prep for that meeting, but the Tribe is on. I can skip my workout today. Church involvement isn’t crucial every week, isn’t that important is it?

Little slides but every slide always ends up taking us down. Have you fallen pray to a slide or two? It’s too easy to end up on one time and time again with not much to show for it except a trip down.

Little slides can ruin a leader. Watch out for carney row.