Back in the old days, before marriage and kids, I was pretty heavily engaged in rock and ice climbing. One of my first lessons was in safety. I learned to pay close attention, not just to my own safety, but also to the safety of my climbing partners.

At some point, many climbers learn the most difficult and dangerous role of lead climbing. The lead climber is the person who climbs the route first, setting up points of protection along the way. Because protection hasn’t already been set, the lead climber has no one holding him or her up. Points of protection help limit the distance and severity of any falls. Nevertheless, the lead climber’s falls will always be the longest and most severe. This role is usually reserved for the climber with the greatest skill and strength.

Most people think the most dangerous part of the climb is the point before the first point of protection has been set. It’s not. It’s usually before the second piece of protection has been set. The reason is, when a single point of protection is set, the lead climber is emboldened to climb even higher. However, the single point of protection might not hold. Also, it’s easy to climb so high that the single protection cannot protect the climber from hitting the ground. The lead climber is usually most vulnerable just before a second point of protection is set.

The Best Leaders Set Up Multiple Points of Protection

How does this relate to leadership? In our organizations, we are most vulnerable when only one person covers any key function. This most often happens with leadership positions, particularly with founders or successful, charismatic leaders. These leaders often, rightfully, build on their own strengths and abilities. However, entire organizations can become personality dependent – relying on one leader’s strength and skill. The organization only has a single point of protection. You might also call this a single point of failure: one failure can put the entire organization at risk.

This is most dangerous when an organization is doing extremely well. Leaders who have built very strong organizations misinterpret their skill and strength as the skill and strength of the entire organization. Two major risks result:

1. The leader overextends the organization: As the organization grows, if everything is reliant on a key leader, people tend to become dependent on that leader. Often, we leaders like the sense of being irreplaceable and needed. We like being the hero. We enjoy being the smartest person in the room. However, by indulging ourselves, we cultivate organizational weakness.

2. The leader stops leading well: Sometimes leaders begin to realize they are over-extended. They start to recognize their vulnerability. There is a common tendency, for these leaders, to start to become highly risk-averse. Instead of pushing forward and opening up new opportunities, they begin to focus on maintaining their position and holding any ground they’ve attained. As a result, the growth of the entire organization is stunted.

What Can Be Done?

Identify Your Key Functions: Which key functions, or skills, in your organization do not have at least two people who can carry them out?

Mentor, Cross-Train and Hire for Key Functions: You don’t need to have a “spare” executive on staff. However, you should have more than one visionary, executer, speaker, rainmaker, fundraiser, organizer or skilled service provider available. These skills might be distributed among a number of people.

Develop a Succession Plan: Some organizations need a detailed plan. Others just need to make succession a regularly visited conversation. There are options in between. Whatever you do, planning for redundancy and replacement of key functions should be perpetual discipline of any healthy organization.

Final “Kick in the Pants” Challenge: Any leader who tries to keep the organization dependent on them is acting selfishly. The only reason anyone would do this is to satisfy his or her own needs. Excuses aside (there are always excuses) this behavior puts everything that has been built, and everything that everyone has invested in, at risk.

Any board, non-profit, or business that allows the organization to become dependent on a key executive is acting negligently. Many boards tend to sit back and let things go on autopilot. This is also true for senior leaders that allow internal key functions to become dependent on one staff member. This is not fulfilling critical fiduciary responsibilities. As in climbing, leaders need to make sure there are multiple points of protection.

What key functions need to be covered in your organization?