Leaky Snorkels and Shrimp Shacks: It's not always about your ability. It's about your tools!

The plan was set. We were going to snorkel and ride horses on the beach. That’s when I made the executive decision that the only way we could get there safely was to rent a 5-speed manual slingshot. Thankfully, Meg agreed. We were zipping around the coastline of Oahu getting hot and hungry. That meant it was time for lunch and time to snorkel!

 We pulled up on the “Shrimp Shack” in a small town. The Shrimp Shack was a small food truck that looked like the perfect balance of sketchy and awesome. Apparently, the Food Network stopped by and agreed. Our hunger was more than satisfied and we took our attention to the ocean. The convenience store by the Shrimp Shack sold snorkeling and diving gear next to the Celsius and Hershey Outrageous Bars, so it seemed trustworthy …

 We purchased the snorkeling gear and hopped in Sharks Cove up the road because it sounded like a safe place to take in sea life. Meg started snorkeling like a pro, and I started to question my ability to excel in outdoor activities. This wasn’t my first snorkeling excursion, but, for some reason, I couldn’t figure out how to keep the ocean from leaking inside my mask. I’ve snorkeled in Playa De Carmen, St. Croix, St Vincent, and Florida!  My mind was blown that for some reason I couldn’t snorkel successfully in Sharks Cove. My confidence was shot!

 This reminds me of leadership. Sometimes we rely so much on what we have done before that we don’t realize why it won’t work today. The tools of the past aren’t always the tools that will work in the present. If you have hung out with us, you have probably heard us say, “What got you to where you are will not get you to where you need to be.” This is true of our skillsets and our tools.

 We see this with new executives often. When you were a director over one department you grew up in, everything came to you. You were an expert in that vertical of the business. The way you led meetings, made decisions, and mentored, helped you and others succeed. However, now you are a VP, and three of the verticals you now steward are not quite in your wheelhouse. Now, you realize the tools in your toolbox are not the right tools for the new job. You are surviving but struggling to realize why it’s so difficult and exhausting.

 We see this in sales leaders who move industries. They were winning the Champions Club year over year selling copiers or appliances, but quickly realize consultative selling is not quite the same. They must learn new skills, but the tools of the past aren’t working efficiently. Sometimes it’s not your ability. It’s more about the tools you are using that aren’t working.

 After horseback riding later in the afternoon, I gave snorkeling another try and realized the seal connecting the breathing apparatus to the snorkel was letting water in. No matter how hard I was trying to use the tool correctly, the tool was flawed … and my snorkeling performance was less than stellar. The tool was broken, not my ability! While the ocean water I drank made me sick, my confidence was restored. Thankfully, I spent an extra $15 for Meg’s gas station snorkel, and she was all good.

It's not always your ability – sometimes it’s the tool you choose!!

 *Are you struggling to lead through and anchor change? Maybe you need new tools to think through, gain buy-in and anchor the change?

*Are you struggling to connect with a new tenured team? Maybe you need tools to lead with RQ and assimilate with your new team?

*Are you struggling to present to the SLT influentially? Maybe you need new tools to present influentially?

*Are you struggling to remain strategic during constant change? Maybe you need new tools to stay strategic while constantly dealing with adversity?

 Listen – You are awesome, but you might be attempting to be awesome with a leaky snorkel! Therefore, you are struggling and taking in ocean water while trying to stay healthy. Those two things don’t go hand in hand.

 You have bright spots in your leadership ... like driving a 5-speed sling shot and stopping at the Shrimp Shack. But overall, the leaky snorkel is tanking your success.

Sometimes we can spot the challenges quickly on our own. Sometimes we need some help to find the leak and the right tools to fix it. Instead of struggling to figure it on your own – why don’t you give us a call to see if we can help?

At the minimum – Ryan and I will help you enjoy a 45-minute virtual coffee. At the maximum, you start to have more hope that you can love your life at work and love your life at home. Learn to have hope that instills the same kind of joy I had zipping around Oahu in a 5-speed convertible slingshot while enjoying amazing seafood from a sketchy award-winning food truck.

Book a time to chat, and stop drinking ocean water.