Mindful Reflection
April 1, 2026
A One-Winged Airplane Won’t Fly
An airplane with one wing flies about as well as a pig.
I realize that statement isn’t technically precise, but the image makes the point. For an aircraft to fly—and to stay in the air—it must have balance. Both wings matter. Remove one, and gravity wins.
Leadership works the same way.
Over the years, I’ve come to believe that sustained leadership requires two essential components working together: character and competency. When one is missing, progress becomes unstable. When both are present, growth becomes possible.
John Maxwell captures this well in The Law of the Ladder, where he teaches that character growth determines the height of personal growth. In simple terms, competency is what you can do as a leader. Character is who you are as a leader.
Both are necessary. Neither is sufficient on its own.
The Danger of a Single Wing
Most of us have been—or are—one-winged at some point. That’s not a statement of shame; it’s simply reality. None of us are finished products.
If you are competent but lack character, you may be effective in the short term—but you will not be trusted. Results may come, but influence will be shallow and fragile.
If you possess character but lack competency, you may be honest and well-intentioned, but ultimately ineffective. Good intentions cannot compensate for an inability to execute.
This isn’t about judgment; it’s about awareness. Honest self-examination—often with the help of trusted others—is the first step toward building the missing wing. That process, however, requires something many people avoid.
It requires courage.
Courage as the Foundation
Courage is woven through every meaningful leadership quality.
It takes courage to communicate honestly. It takes courage to innovate and take initiative. It takes courage to unleash passion rather than play it safe. It takes courage to practice servant leadership instead of control. It takes courage to articulate a real vision rather than echo popular opinion.
Without courage, leaders seek approval instead of progress. They avoid risk, dilute conviction, and settle for comfort. With courage, leaders stand apart—sometimes uncomfortably so.
History reminds us that those who change the world rarely begin in consensus. The Wright brothers, Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and others were often criticized before they were celebrated. Courage placed them outside the majority—and eventually moved the majority.
Courage lives at the core of character.
Inside Determines Outside
Character is formed internally. Competency is expressed externally.
Scripture captures this truth succinctly: “As one thinks in his heart, so is he.” Over time, our inner nature inevitably reveals itself on the outside. When character grows, competency gains credibility. When character erodes, even great skill loses influence.
Improving only the external eventually exposes the internal. Improving the internal, however, steadily strengthens the external.
A Living Example
One of the most powerful examples of this balance is my dear friend and hero, Alana Nichols.
Alana’s dream was to become a scholarship softball player. That dream ended abruptly when a snowboarding accident severed her spine, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down.
What followed was not resignation, but resolve.
Through extraordinary character, discipline, and work ethic, Alana pursued new arenas—wheelchair basketball, sit-skiing, kayaking, and surfing. She went on to win multiple Olympic gold medals in ski racing, a gold medal in basketball, and earned a place on the Paralympic kayaking team.
The irony? Softball was no longer an Olympic sport during those years.
Her success was not accidental. It was forged through intention, focus, and a will to win that came from within. Character fueled competency—and together, they carried her further than talent alone ever could.
Building the Second Wing
Character without competency will stall your progress. Competency without character will eventually undermine it reinforce it.
The encouraging truth is this: the inside is within our control. Our choices, habits, and intentions shape our character. And character, over time, shapes everything else.
John Wooden said it well: “There is a choice you have to make in everything you do. In the end, the choices you make make you.”
Before you can do, you must be.
If you’re flying a one-winged airplane, expect turbulence—or worse. But also know this: you can build the second wing. With awareness, courage, and intention, balance can be restored.
There is no other path to sustained success.
A one-winged airplane won’t fly.
Leadership will change your life — I guarantee it.
