Leading into Uncharted Territories

Sometimes, our teams enter uncharted territories. We enter into a place that we've never really been before. Whether it's Amazon entering the Grocery Industry or Disney bringing Superheros into their family, or Anheuser Bush entering the Prohibition Age or von Humbolt charting typography in the Andes - great teams perform in uncharted territories. This reminds me of a trip to an uncharted territory I took last year to Rovaniemi, Finland.  

Finland is a beautiful place with reindeer, igloos and ice castles, and the ability to mush. I was able to experience all of this but the biggest feat and challenge was a cross country ski half marathon that I did in the arctic circle. This would have been a challenge to most people but I had a challenge different than the other racers that day. See, and I had never cross country skied. I figured I had about 20K to figure it out. 

Truth is, if we want to stay relevant as an organization, we have to be willing to venture into uncharted territories. We have to be able to change and recognize the opportunities that come with new ventures. Don't foolishly rush into every new land, but also don't be tardy. Recognize the true real sense of urgency in your action. For me, it was the fact that I had the opportunity to be in Finland for work and didn’t know my next opportunity to return. This was the time. It was go-time. Urgency in your team can come in a myriad of ways. For some teams, it’s an outsider coming into the team. For others, it’s a crisis. For some, it is the rapid change of the economy and the market. For others, it's a leader setting an example of urgency. For your team, it could be as simple as setting a deadline and sticking to it!

So often, teams can become crippled with the unknown and plan and plan and plan until we’ve reached the ultimate paralysis by analysis. Indecision and lack of action prohibit teams from performing at their highest level. Create a sense of urgency. Find your team's reason for urgency to venture into uncharted territories.

And when you are in uncharted territory, recognize what you do have in your favor. Yes, I had never cross country skied before, but I had run cross country and skied... I had a lot going in my favor. My mom’s family lives in Colorado and I grew up downhill skiing, I also was a Division I cross country runner, and I could inline skate. I figured that all of these have similarities to cross country skiing and I could figure it out. Again, I had about 20K to figure it out. I trained in the very not mountainous home of Oklahoma running and skating and figured that the rest would come into place. It was my very own Cool Runnings experience. Identify what your team doing well now. What is the foundation that you can build from. 

I showed up to the race, rented a pair of skis, and then ran into my first obstacle. Cross country skis are different than downhill skis --- I didn’t know how to put my skis on! This was off to an interesting start. After awkwardly fidgeting and trying to fit in -- I finally asked someone to help me put the skis on. Don't be afraid to ask others for help. As soon as my boots were attached I immediately felt off balance and uncomfortable. I wasn’t really sure how to move in them, they definitely were not downhill skis. 

I approached the starting line and saw Santa Claus there to wish us luck and fire off the starting gun--this was the Arctic Circle and the official home of the big man after all. I smiled and began my journey--- falling over the starting line. I fell over the starting line, that’s gotta be world record failure! But I failed fast and learned and only fell 2 more times the entire 20k. Let your team know that it’s okay to take action and fail.

Many leaders I hear will comfort their team by saying, "We didn’t lose, we learned." No. This statement does not stand on it's own. We need to ask a very critical question... we lost... or failed... now what did you learn? When your team fails ask, “What did we learn? How can we make adjustments?” Fail. Fail fast. Learn. Make adjustments. 

After I fell over the starting line and spent the first 2-3 kilometers stopping and readjusting my approach and my methods of movements. I constantly was learning and failing and adjusting. It was these adjustments that led me to complete my goal to be like the nationality of the land and Finnish.

Also, take it slow if you need. We are moving in a rapidly changing world and there is immense pressure to move at a very quick pace. But it’s so much better to move intentionally and strategically in the right direction than sprinting down the wrong path and having to backtrack later. I could have tried to sprint on my skies, I probably would have fallen much more and not really finished any faster. Find your balance, make a plan and then take action. And I don’t care if your moving slower than a snail caught in molasses. Move.  

After the third kilometer, I really hit my stride, I learned which movements from running, skating, and skiing could be combined for a stealthy dynamic. I only fell two more times the rest of the 20 kilometers, by the end, I certainly wasn’t a professional but I was decently proficient. A few days later I went again with a few of the locals and could keep up with a respectable pace. Today, I consider myself a pretty decent cross country skier.

So, prepare for when the opportunity arises, make a plan and prepare where you are, even if you're in the hot great plains of Oklahoma preparing to cross country ski the snowy terrain of the Arctic circle, prepare your team the best way that you can. Many speak of leading where you are, why not prepare where you are. That way when the opportunity comes, you can take action! You don’t have to have it all planned out, build a foundation, build an expectation, and you have at least 20 kilometers to figure out the rest.