Why Your Rising Stars Also Must Avoid DRIFTING

In this blog, I’ll share an important insight connected to developing and growing your Rising Stars - those emerging leaders and future high performers. This builds upon a concept from my previous Rising Stars blog and takes it one step further.

Before we continue, let’s briefly revisit the concept of Drifting, which is central to understanding leadership and growth.

Why Your Rising Stars Also Must Avoid DRIFTING

Aviation Picture of Real Drifting

Imagine a pilot flying an airplane. The pilot or the autopilot, is maintaining a heading, perhaps due north at 360 degrees, or following a specific course.

However, when crosswinds arrive, often strong and unpredictable—they push the airplane off its intended path. Winds from the left cause the aircraft to drift right, and winds from the right cause a drift left.

When that happens, the pilot must recognize it and adjust the heading accordingly. The key point here is that drifting is not initiated by the pilot; it’s caused by external factors beyond their control.

The Neuroscience Connection

When unexpected factors arise, our frontal lobe must actively process the situation to determine what’s truly required.

As mentioned before, drifting is not about someone intentionally steering off course — it’s about allowing the mind to wander without awareness. When we permit our brains to drift, genuine thinking, processing, and decision-making stop. Nothing is being solved or understood.

This truth is vital when developing Rising Stars. Let’s explore why.

Leadership, Neuroscience, and Developing Rising Stars

Historically, many parents, teachers, or mentors have believed their role is to tell Rising Stars what to think and how to act. However, when we do that, we shut off their brain’s ability to process and grow.

If we only provide surface-level answers, we train their brains to stop thinking critically. Once the “superficial answer” is received, their mental processing shuts down — and like the airplane in a crosswind, they begin to drift without realizing it.

When we fail to engage their thinking, we fail to prepare them for their future success. This is a critical leadership mistake.

The Key Solution

When guiding your Rising Stars, it’s not enough to give them instructions. The goal is to engage them in real dialogue about the topic and the factors involved. This approach helps them understand solutions at a deeper level, strengthens their decision-making, and builds their capacity to recognize when conditions change.

A coaching mindset is essential — one that develops their mental processing rather than dictating outcomes. This is how true development and readiness for future success are achieved.

Example from My Great-Grandkids

With my great-grandkids, we focus on getting them to think. We don’t simply dictate; we ask questions, encourage reasoning, and guide them toward discovering successful approaches themselves.

If they’re uncertain, we create temporary rules or frameworks until they learn and catch their own vision. This approach cultivates real neuroscience growth - helping them develop cognitive skills, decision-making, and long-term success.

When parents or mentors simply tell young people what to do, they inhibit brain development and prevent true leadership growth.

1. What do you need to change to prevent your Rising Stars from “putting their brains aside”?

2. How can you model and inspire genuine development - not just compliance?

3. How can you and your Rising Stars stay aware and actively avoid drifting?

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Randy Swaim, Coaching for Relevance, LLC