Leadership Like Bridge: To Celebrate Golden Gate Bridge 75th Birthday at Memorial Day Weekend

A great city with water barriers and no bridges is like a skyscraper with no elevators. Bridges are a monument to progress.” – Strauss by Joseph P

Memorial Day reminds us of veteran’s leadership lessons: the courage, the sacrifice, the commitment and the disciplines., etc. We also celebrate Golden Gate Bridge’s 75th birthday on Sun., what can we learn from this man-made miracle, the most beautiful bridge in the world?

1. Leadership Build Up Like Bridge Construction, is a Purposeful Journey

The construction of what was to become the world's largest suspension bridge was a colossal task. At the time many people did not believe it was technically possible to span the Golden Gate.

But despite the disbelief, sneering and the Great Depression, Joseph Strauss was able to find support and financial back for the project, It took thousands of workers, four years and 35 million dollars to complete the structure. On May 27, 1937 the Golden Gate Bridge was inaugurated by 18.000 people who walked across the bridge.

Same as leadership build up, need  purpose, courage, character and determination to break down barriers and avoid pitfalls. What is authentic leadership: the real leadership is about bridging the cultural, cognizant and conceptual gap, not setting boundaries, and strengthen the weakest link in the leadership chains; The future of leader'ship' lies in the ability to not only navigate new waters, but also to create those waters in which the ship will be lead.      

                                                                                              

2. Leadership like Golden Gate Bridge, the essential, the style and the color

Golden Gate Bridge average traffic crossings are about 41 million per year, it becomes significant transportation channel in San Francisco bay, The bridge is popular with pedestrians and bicyclists as well as cars, The Golden Gate Bridge has always been painted orange vermilion, deemed "International Orange”, the distinctive orange color was selected because it blends well with the span's natural setting as it is a warm color consistent with the warm colors of the land masses in the setting as distinct from the cool colors of the sky and sea. It also provides enhanced visibility for passing ships. Besides it’s functionality, Golden Gate Bridge is also a stylish world famous landmark and bright symbol of city

Same as real leadership, the main functions may include: improve business efficiency via working inside the system; and influence on effectiveness via working on the system to shape the environment at multi-dimensional way, leadership landmark is its influence, full of color, brighten the human society.

Courage is valuable in position of the leader. You can win only if you don’t think in traditional way and don’t over-trust existing systems and question structures and yourself. Your thoughts, education and experience might be not valid tomorrow, because things are changing.

3.The Mighty Task is Done, but Leadership job is never Done

When the Golden Gate Bridge construction was completed, the chief designer Strass wrote the poem:

the Mighty Task is Done in May, 1937

“….An honored cause and nobly fought
And that which they so bravely wrought,
Now glorifies their deed,
No selfish urge shall stain its life,
Nor envy, greed, intrigue, nor strife,
Nor false, ignoble creed.”

The same inspiration is for true leadership, however, the leadership journey maybe never done, courage is valuable in position of the leader. The leadership need awareness, trust, choice and focus, the future of leadership like bridge, need observing, encouraging, supporting, recognizing and rewarding, with influence essential to embrace the true color.

Posted in: Food for Thought,Future of Leadership