Leadership: Learning to Let Go

This article was written by Patty Vogan of Entrepreneur.com. Patty is Entrepreneur.com's "Leadership" columnist and owner of Victory Coaching, an executive coaching company.

Last month I addressed the importance of conducting thorough research before opening a business and how the lack of it almost landed this entrepreneur in a tropical jail. I also discussed how a smile is a universal gesture that we sometimes overlook. I learned many other lessons from running a business in Tonga; this month's lessons focus on assumptions and effective management.

After narrowly escaping jail, I was ready to clear customs on the main island of Nuku'alofa and repack my 20x20 container into smaller cartons before loading them and my new boat onto the inner-island ferry. From there, it would travel to the Vava'u group of islands -- my soon-to-be new home.

The inter-island ferry named the "O'lavaha" was affectionately known by the locals as "the floating coffin," which didn't exactly inspire confidence. I planned to travel on the ferry along with my boat, so that I could look after it. But my friend Jeff, the boat builder from Australia, guided me in a different direction.

He suggested I fly instead. The trip was either a 75-minute flight or a two-day boat ride with pigs, chickens, goats and sick locals. Most people threw up because of the rough seas. The lesson here: Always be willing to listen to a new idea. That was one I didn't need to learn the hard way.

Watching everything I owned, including my new boat, go out to sea on something called the floating coffin was a bit unnerving. For the next two days, I waited with anxiety.

The sun was setting as the O'lavaha rounded the mountain and started up the channel to the harbor where I was standing. As the ferry slowly made its way up the channel, I noticed it was leaning to right. I began worrying it was about to sink before my eyes. But then I realized that the Tongans on the boat were leaning over the rails on the right side of the ferry, waving to the people in the village.

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