There is a solution for many problems. Asking for help reveals readily available resources. Spend time on distractions or focus expertise on the work that matters. Your enterprise exists to address challenges that are not easy to decode. Heroic journeys are a quest with uncertain outcomes. The reward is transformation. These are the adventures worthy of extraordinary people.
I have seen versions of the above image in history textbooks. A quick glance and brief text were enough to know that this was a harbor constructed to support D-Day Invasion on Normandy. An impressive number of ships, lots of activity, and roadways stretching into the harbor seem to tell the story. What I did not know was the detailed plan behind the harbor. Nicknamed Mulberry B is was located in Arromanches, France on Gold Beach with the intention of serving the British and Canadian forces. The harbor was completely devised using old ships scuttled in place, and pre-fabricated pieces flooded on-site as no historical harbor existed in the location. It was planned over a year in advance, constructed in England, barged over behind the invasion forces on June 6, 1944, and almost finished on June 19th when a ferocious storm hit it. Mulberry B survived while the United State’s harbor, Mulberry A, on Omaha Beach was abandoned due to storm damage. All Allied supplies and equipment disembarked upon this floating structure, thoughtfully designed to adapt to 30 feet of tidal flow. Today, a few remnants sit above sea level, enough to give perspective to the magnitude of Operation Overlord. The Allied forces understood that getting personnel on the beach was the first obstacle. The second challenge was hastily placing enough equipment and supplies on-shore to avoid the Axis time to pin the Allied troop against the Channel.
It is worth remembering the power of thinking about the steps beyond the next step. The actions that are required to allow us to thrive once we have reached a critical benchmark. The planning and execution of a temporary harbor made a profound difference to the outcome of World Wat Two.
Insightful and applicable blog post by Eric Barker. Here is the summary if you need encouragement to read further:
Here’s how to make good decisions:
When we tell people why there is a hazard, decision, or rule it creates the opportunity for alignment. We can share in taking responsibility. If we simply state, ‘do not walk here,’ it creates questions. But if we tell people that the cliff is eroded and fallen into the sea then we might agree that it is a wise to take precautions.
The Postal Service delivers to every address, every day. FedEx delivers to selected locations when there is something deemed urgent. Some enterprises show up every day and some people find this rewarding, others feel like it is a door-to-door solicitation. Some organizations show up on a less predictable schedule. Some people find this exciting, others deem it frustrating. A question to consider, are you delivering to everyone every day or are you selecting only a few people and delivering something urgent? The postal service and FedEx continue to fill a need, they have different purposes and operating plans.
The building of the transcontinental railroad was a partnership. Two railroad companies, government, investors, planners, engineers, laborers, immigrants, scouts, moving towns, etc. The list of partners is too long for this list. One could imagine a different result had this enormous project been taken on by a single entity. The final result was better because of collaboration and key partners. When we know we are working towards somebody who is approaching us with a shared purpose our resolve is stronger. Obstacles are easier to overcome when we know that there are others working on the same problem.
Our goal should not be to do more alone, rather do more with partners who believe what we believe.
If there were no obstructions than our enterprise would cease to exist. The trans-continental railway unimagined. Exploration of space left on the launch pad. Redesigning a city while honoring those who perished in its previous form would not have taken years. The obstruction is what keep us focused. Just make sure that the obstruction does not distract from the better future you are creating.
I wear a Garmin heart rate monitor watch that measures a vast array of activity metrics. The home screen displays an activity monitor that counts the number of steps I take each day with a goal of 10,000. The screen changes color once I reach my daily goal and offers a satisfying sense of accomplishment. This weekend I exposed a flaw in measuring my performance indicators. I rode my bike for 5-hours exploring the Wasatch Mountains in Utah on Saturday and by days end I was far short of reaching my step goal, but I burned over 3,000 calories on the ride. Then on Sunday, I rode my horse on the trails in Idaho. The counter recorded 13,000 steps by 11 AM, the vast majority were equine generated. I was getting the benefit of Cricket’s efforts and my numbers were highly inflated.
We have numerous tools to measure our progress. High Schools use college placement lists to demonstrate academic rigor. Art Centers showcase the number of children who visit their education programs. Homeless shelters share the number of individuals housed each night. The critical deliberation is deciding what to measure. If I measure my total activity time I get a different result than monitoring steps, however, I miss quantifying the intensity of my workout. I can employ a Train Stress Score but then I may be tempted to divert from my recovery day workout which would score very low (despite being highly effective) to achieve a higher score. If measrement drives activity then we are choosing speed over experience.
Simon Sinek reminds us, ‘Great leaders are willing to sacrifice the numbers to save the people. Poor leaders sacrifice the people to save the numbers.’ If we remember that we need human-centered strategies then measurement become organic. If we are doing the work that matters we will find creative and flexible ways to quantify our impact.
What are you measuring?
What-if-concepts 