Rudderless in a Sea of Apathy

Anyone who has sailed knows that without forward motion, the rudder cannot steer the boat. A becalmed sailboat will drift around aimlessly no matter what you do at the helm. The same is true for organizations: you cannot steer an organization that is not moving. Certainly there are times when it is okay - even necessary - for an organization to pause, rest, regroup, tread water, etc. for a while but such a tactic is not sustainable. Once momentum has been lost, you are doomed. In the wise words of Albert Einstein, “life is like a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”

Movement is an essential element of leadership for you cannot follow somebody that is standing still. Well-meaning wannabe leaders and wishful thinkers often get consumed with grand visions and ideas. They will talk at length about what could and ought to be but then fail to achieve tangible steps. Don’t get me wrong - great ideas and inspirational visions are hugely compelling, but without action such words are little more than poverty-stricken poetry. Organizations and teams are inherently restless and impatient. This is especially true for high performance teams. They need action to bind them. This is why peacetime armies keep their soldiers busy with endless exercises, drills and seemingly meaningless activities such as inspections and polishing. It’s not just about practice. It is about maintaining cohesion. An organization that ceases to be “on the move” will quickly atrophy, drift and eventually fracture.

In times of challenge and uncertainty it is tempting to “hunker down” and wait for better times. Hunker down too long however and opportunity will pass you by and you’ll find yourself drifting about like a becalmed sailboat. Surviving to fight another day is a tactic, not a strategy. Leaders who engage such an approach must be wary of the risks for trading momentum for refuge is rarely a bargain. History is replete of examples where exhausted armies on the move defeated better-rested adversaries that had “hunkered down.” The same is true for companies. While business cycles are part of the game, a company that fails to advance towards its mission in tangible ways will quickly find itself on the ropes. The antidote for this scenario isn’t rocket science but does mean hard work. Management and the board must agree upon a goal (hopefully a compelling one) … and then execute toward it, one step at the time. If for whatever reasons those tangible steps are not taken, the corporate sails will luff and even the most compelling dream will begin to feel like a lie to the crew.

Anyway, that is enough babbling for today. I am restless and if the sails aren’t raised soon, I’m sure I’ll end up paddling.