the running reverend

Those who are versed in the age old art of shaving with a straight razor are well acquainted with a common and necessary practice known as stropping. One takes one’s razor and runs it spine first along a taut piece of leather (prior to and immediately following a shave) because the very fine edge of the razor needs to be realigned at a very minute level, so that one can avoid cuts and get the best possible shave.

As I was standing in the bathroom stropping my razor this morning, I found myself thinking about the similarities between leadership and caring for one’s razor. What follows are just a few of those thoughts.

1) Stropping is not a one time event. As such, this act becomes part of one’s routine. Without regular stropping the razor will lose it’s edge. Similarly, the leader will lose his or her edge if regular care and attention is neglected. Leaders, therefore, must exercise self-care in the form of attending conferences, reading books, etc. Additionally, the leader who is desiring to maintain their edge must come into regular contact with those who will smooth out indentations and provide thought-provoking conversation and stimulation that will (at times) provide necessary realignment of thought and attitude.

2) Stropping cannot be rushed. Improper and/or rushed stropping can result in a blade becoming dull. So too it is with leadership. Quick fixes, prepackaged solutions, easy-to-implement programs may seem great, but more often than not they not only fail but result in irreparable damage. Good leaders are in it for the long haul and they understand that change that leads to progress is a process that requires a great deal of time, preparation, and prepare. It is a process that cannot be rushed.

3) Stropping requires discipline. For the first month or so, I felt like an idiot as I stood in the bathroom, blade-in-hand, running said blade along the strop. (I’m pretty sure that I looked just as ridiculous as I felt.) I persevered, however. I remained diligent and focused. I stopped before and after each use. I slowly and deliberately ran the blade along the strop to ensure proper technique. Great leaders are people of discipline. They exercise discipline as they tend to their personal life and family. They are people who are it prone to excess. At times they are so deliberate that they appear to be obsessed over what appears to be a minor detail. Their intentionality and passion, however, is revealed as their attention to detail pays off.