Seems an Eagle Scout decided to take a “hike” one day. He also decided to ignore two rules. 1st – he went alone 2nd – he didn’t tell anyone where he was going! Now those of us who have been involved in Scouting know that these two rules are really BIG rules! Nonetheless, our fearless teenager ends up in the Mountains lost!
Here’s what he told himself when discovering the surrounding didn’t look at all familiar, “I’m NOT lost … the people who will come looking for me are lost!”
That’s a profound insight! His logic went along these lines … “I’m right where I am, I can’t be lost, I know they don’t know where I am and they can’t find me … so they must be lost.”
Let’s look a bit further into this “slice of life” … I believe it has applications in life, in business, in relationships and in camping.
What’s our enterprising Scout to do? How can he get his ultimate “rescuers” to find him? How can he get them to “not be lost”?
First, he’ll need to get to a place, location or spot where he can be found [this won’t be behind a tree, inside a cave, sitting on a rock by a dry stream bed or the like]; second, he’ll need to get to a place where others go looking for people, things, etc in the ordinary conduct of their lives and thereby increase the odds of “discovery” … I suspect our Scout will pick a direction, any direction, and begin to walk. He’ll leave a clear “trail” [broken branches pointing in his direction of travel, rock cairns, etc] He’ll walk in his chosen direction until he comes upon a worn trail, path, dirt road or perhaps a paved road. Once there, he’ll set up camp, he’ll make a conspicuous eye catcher and then wait for any passers-by. It would be ideal if this “spot” were close to a water supply, had adequate shade and a comfortable fallen tree to sit on, regardless our Scout only need wait for his “lost” rescuers to come and find him!
Our businesses can at times resemble our “not lost” Scout. The rescuers are our clients and they could well be lost … lost in the same sense that our Scout described – “They don’t know where I’m at and they can’t find me!
How do we solve this dilemma? My suggestion would be an “inside-out” approach. Why did our Scout head out on a hike and break two very important rules? I don’t know. I’m fairly sure you don’t know. And I’m pretty sure our Scout doesn’t know! What I do know, is he made a bad decision. Getting to the point, we all make “bad decisions” more times than we’d like to admit. Why is that? It’s because we get rolling along in life, things are “clicking” you know, the sports announcers call it “in the zone” … we just are on a roll. In this mind state we’re operating at “High Velocity” Our sub-conscious is engaged in whatever activity we’re involved in and we’re making “snap judgments” [lest you think snap judgments are not good, remember Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger the airline pilot who lost all engines and ditched successfully in the Hudson river? Scientist have measured different vocations as to how decisions are made. Airline crews make 95% of their decisions as subconscious “snap judgments!” Fire fighter studies show 80% of their decisions were subconscious “snap decisions” as well]
In my practice I have diagnostic tools that identify “what” “why” and “how” we make decisions. It is typical for us to have what I call a Master screen. The screens can be identified as the Heart, the Hand and the Head. We all use all three in making decisions, however, we have a favorite, if you will, and when we’re “in the zone” it is quite common to be using that particular one to the exclusion [Blind Spots] of the others. At “High Velocity” we tend to miss important information that if we were at “low velocity” [acting in a very deliberate fashion] we’d take time to examine and perhaps make a better decision!
Our Scout, as I said, made a decision that in the end was not a good decision. Perhaps he was “Blind” to the situation because he was “in the zone” and made a “snap decision” without considering all the data available.
How about you? Are you “Blind” to certain aspects of your decision making style? Perhaps a diagnostic tool [AI, DI, VI] that I have can help you see “what” “why” and “how” you make decisions, think and behave? My “inside –out” approach has helped many clients improve their business, their relationships and their lives. I’m willing to invest my time and tools into you … are you willing to explore? Drop me a line and we’ll explore together!
Until next time,
Bill Kille
Personal Development Coach, Business Facilitator and speaker
