The River Stone

James R. Rector
Publisher, Profiles in Leadership Journal

A stone in a river begins rough. Over time, the current smooths it. The edges wear down, the surface becomes polished, and what was once ordinary becomes something you want to hold in your hand.

Leadership develops the same way. Challenges and conflicts may feel like constant pressure, but they are the current that shapes character. Leaders who resist the water remain jagged. Leaders who accept the flow become smoother, wiser, and more approachable.

The lesson is not to avoid the current but to let it refine you. Over years, the stone becomes strong and smooth at the same time. So can leaders.

At Home

Families experience this too. A marriage, a parent-child bond, or even a sibling rivalry is often tested by the steady current of time. Those who let patience and forgiveness smooth the edges grow relationships that last.

Your question: What current in your life is shaping you right now, and are you letting it polish or harden you?

About the series: The 3-Minute Leader™ is a weekly micro-essay for emerging and promotable executives.