On Purpose: Lessons from the Colorado River

In 2016, Vince and I packed up the kids and headed out on a two-week road trip we called Denver Drive. We headed east out of the Seattle area, across Idaho and Montana, hit Little Big Horn and Devil's Tower, Badlands National Park, Deadwood and Mount Rushmore, and then we headed for Rocky Mountain National Park.

The Rockies are incredible. The air is crisp, the views are expansive, it was everything I'd imagined it to be. But the real reason I'm telling you about this road trip is because I want to talk about the Colorado River, which starts not too far from where this picture was taken.

In my experience, most people hear "Colorado River" and immediately think of the Grand Canyon. You don't always remember that this mighty, earth-changing river starts way up here in the mountains, looking no different from any other river really.

We left the Rockies, stayed for a few days in Denver, and then continued on our road trip, heading west and then south toward Grand Junction, following the Colorado River. It was interesting to watch the river grow and see the evidence it left in the rocks around it. The energy built up over time and distance was visible in the walls it left in its wake.

Side note: A bit of advice -- if you're on a road trip, ask park rangers about what routes to take if you have the time. They'll never do you wrong. The rangers at the Colorado National Monument told us to take 128 south to Moab and Arches and if you ever have the chance to drive that route, I can't recommend it enough. Breathtaking.

So here's the thing. I've been to the Grand Canyon a couple of times, I've seen where this river left its biggest mark. The walls are really high. When you're down in that river, it's tough to see much beyond those walls. Rafters are down in it, navigating rapids and staying the course. I wouldn't describe your options as limited, but you're definitely boxed in.

That road trip, Denver Drive, has stuck with me ever since, not just because it was epic, but because it helped me see how entrenched we can get in approaching a problem one way. The Colorado River formed because the Rockies have a whole lot of snow, which turns into a whole lot of meltwater that has to find a place to go. The purpose of the Colorado River is to get meltwater off the mountains, and as the river rolls on, it digs itself in pretty darn deep.

But the Colorado isn't the only way water gets off of those mountains. There are other river systems. The options are very clearly not limited if you look from a higher elevation.

It's an important point, and one that I think many organizations tend to forget because they're so wrapped up in navigating the rapids. If you're down in that canyon, it's pretty tough to pause and think about how else we might get snow off the mountain. It's more like, "hey let's make sure we avoid that log in the river," or "hang on because the water's pretty rough up here and there are some pretty big rocks in the way." There's not space to pause and ponder, there's just execution.

Enter the role of the strategist. 👋 Sometimes strategists seem like crazy people. Black sheep. Unhelpful. Opinionated. Unrealistic. The nice way to say it is "visionary." When you're down in those rapids, someone coming in and telling you about this other river system we could take instead is tough to swallow. Seems out of touch.

If you're feeling that, I'd encourage you to look around at where you are. Is it great? Is it working? Is it rewarding? Are the other people in the raft with you having a good time? Sure, you're getting water off the mountains, but is it happening fast enough to meet your aspirational goals?

Strategists think about this stuff all. day. long. For months and years at a time. They research it, wrestle with it, wake up at 3:47am every day for a week solid thinking about it. They do not take it lightly. They know the implications inside and out, they have weighed the options, they understand the struggles. Good strategists, anyway.

But the catch is, all that strategists can do is share their deeply-thought-out recommendations with those who are on point to execute. It's up to those leaders to take recommendations seriously, trust the judgement of the strategists they hire, and make decisions that are right for the business. What I have observed is that not all recommendations are the right ones for the business, but more often than not the decision not to invest in a recommendation comes from fear of change, not actual business logic and reasoning.

So I'll leave you with this: What is your organization's purpose? Is your approach effective? Do you have someone on your team offering alternative strategies? Have you listened objectively, with a growth mindset? Make the time. You might be surprised by what you hear.