My wife and I love the beach. She loves to find a nice shady spot, open to the breeze, pull out her book and enjoy the afternoon. She enjoys the view of the water, the sights and the sounds, and watching people as they enjoy their afternoon. That type of relaxation may please her, but it drives me insane.
I look out at that big ocean and I realize there is an undiscovered behemoth that covers three-quarters of our planet. I don’t want to sit there on the beach looking at it! I want to get in and discover whatever mysteries or adventures she may hold for me.
But that’s just me.
As leaders we must realize that the majority of people will see our organization with eyes from the shore. When it looks good it looks good. “If it’s not broke… don’t fix it!” Most of our direct reports are right there, enjoying the status quo. The status quo brings them a paycheck, it is stable and stress free. There are no dangers in the status quo. However, there is also a glaring lack of adventure.
As a leader, you have no business enjoying the status quo!
When was the last time that you forced yourself out of the status quo by diving deeper into your organization? When, while seeing the surface, did you last wonder what mystery lies beneath her? What is that scary thing that you may find, and have to wrestle with, that will propel your organization to new heights?
You can only know through discovery. So, what are you waiting for, jump in!
Had a little fun with a video version: Check it out!