Safety and Boldness
I began spelunking when I was twelve. Twice a year I would travel into the heart of West Virginia where the earth is carved like swiss cheese and we would rappel into dark holes, slither through tight tunnels, wade in underground rivers, and climb over waterfalls. Safety was drilled into us. Keep three points of contact at all times. Carry multiple light sources. Pack extra food and water. Wear a helmet. Spot each other. Ask for help when you need it. Never go alone.
I learned in those underground adventures that the secret to being bold and fearless is in feeling safely grounded in trusted systems, teammates, and protocols.
This week I invited Mike Murray, President of Creative Interchange Consultants, to speak with my Vistage Peer Advisory Board on how to generate support for significant change. He reminded us of a quote by Dr. Peter Vaill, “We now live in a time of permanent white water.” Mike expanded, “The next bend in the river is not a still pond, but probably faster water and bigger rocks.” The speed and amount and degree of change is on an increase. And, this is especially true for entrepreneurs, no one in your boat has ever shot this particular river before. No one can say exactly where the whirlpools are, where the rocks are, and what you need to be prepared for.
As I listened to Mike, I felt the truth in these words for myself and the clients I coach. As an entrepreneur of a growing company, change is a constant companion – bringing with it thrill and exhilaration as well as tumult and uncertainty.
This image of permanent white water doesn’t feel very safe at all. Yet I know white water rafting, like caving, has its own set of protocols and practices of safety.
I think there is a myth that as an entrepreneur you have to be swinging from vines and doing cartwheels in the sky or somehow you aren’t doing it right… not being risky enough, ballsy enough, or gutsy enough. In some ways, this is true. Certainly, there were multiple bold moves taken just to begin your journey. And there are days on the rapids when you have a fantastic run, holding your paddle in the sky and bellowing out a walloping war cry. There are other days when the rocks come way too fast, you can’t shake the chill in your bones, and water won’t stop spitting into your eyes and clouding your vision.
A major risk of caving is getting lost in the cave. The way in never looks like the way out. As young cavers we were taught to pause every so often, take a look behind us, and get a tangible feel for where we were and how we got there.
The same holds true on the river. Sometimes safety comes in trusted partnerships, robust equipment, and clearer communications. Sometimes in learning to trust the boat won’t sink, your oar won’t break, and your helmet will hold.
Yet one of the greatest safety tools in the cave, on the river, and in your business is the rhythmic pause. This involves finding your way to the shoreline on a regular basis to reflect on what you’ve seen, notice trends around and within you and your team, and process what new meaning and understanding is emerging.
The rapids, from what I hear, are not ceasing. It’s important to build and stretch your capacity for personal and organization reflection. To be clear about the challenges in front of you, the fear and uncertainty you and your team are wrestling with, and the available tools to help everyone feel safer and bolder in the next upcoming run.
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Leadership Development Practices to help you engage with these concepts in your own leadership development journey:
Morning Safety Checks: This week practice with inserting intentional pauses in your day to invite reflection – both with yourself and your team. Beyond revisiting the thrill and gore of the last run, focus your sights on particular challenges and changes being noticed in the terrain around and within you. Contemplate the pockets of fear and uncertainty that might be churning under the surface. What actions can be taken to tether you and your team in to a greater sense of safety and boldness in today’s run?
