“Be Prepared... the meaning of the motto is that a scout must prepare himself by previously thinking out and practicing how to act on any accident or emergency so that he is never taken by surprise.”

                                                                                                    - Robert Baden-Powell

Although I never made it beyond Cub Scouts in Mrs. Larson’s Den in elementary school, I have always admired the scouts' motto “Be Prepared”.  I have come to believe in leadership that being adequately prepared can be the difference between breaking through obstacles and simply letting them overtake us as we revert to old and familiar behaviors. 

One thing I know is when we are up to big things in our lives and our organizations, it is inevitable that we will come upon challenges.  It has been my experience that the bigger the endeavor, the bigger the challenges that present themselves. 

I believe it is also correct to assume that those who experience the su...