Flying Through the Fog
Meg and I were flying back from a get-a-way trip after Christmas and storms were brewing everywhere. As we were approached Charlotte, we could barely see the wing of the airplane. We were in a thick fog with zero visibility. And yet … our flight wasn’t delayed.
When I’m driving through the fog I have to slow way down because I can’t see where I’m going. There’s the fear that I’m about hit something right in front of me.
I’ve been hiking through the fog in the Smokey Mountains, and it is obvious why they have that name. When hiking along a ridge with steep drops to the right or left in the thick fog – it's imperative to make sure every step is the right step.
Yet – there we were – flying right along, right on time into Charlotte.
We’ve all been there. Going through the day as if we are in the middle of the fog. Due to external factors, we become hesitant to take a step because we can’t see where we are going. The fog can be debilitating at times and cause us to miss opportunities that are right in front of us. We start to stress, get anxious, get frustrated because instead of continuing to cruise towards our destination we start over analyzing each step like it could be our last.
What’s difference between flying through the fog and driving through the fog?
When flying, we have our destination coordinates, route planned, and air traffic controllers helping us navigate. The pilot is not on their own – so you trust the plan and carry on.
When driving – we are limited to what we can see and are forced to adjust accordingly. We are forced to slow down or move forward recklessly.
Is it possible to fly through the fog at work rather than drive through the fog?
Hang with me a moment.
How many times do we focus so much on ourselves that we forget to collaborate? You are in the middle of a change initiative, but you haven’t collaborated with the people who are impacted by the change.
You are in the middle of adjusting roles and salaries for the organization, but you have not collaborated with the leaders of those teams to hear their perspectives.
You are in the middle of a huge sales promotion, but you have not collaborated with operations to make sure the teams are ready to deliver.
You are in the middle of … you get the picture.
How many times are we forced to slow down or move forward recklessly? Instead of realizing that impacted parties can act as the air traffic controller, collaborating to gain more vision, we treat them as a barrier keeping us from our destination.
The people you have opportunity to serve as a leader can help you fly through the fog without losing momentum. You just have to take the opportunity to strategically collaborate with them.