Is your business all at sea?
Business
Over the years I have done quite a bit of sailing; mostly ocean races including tough ones like the Sydney to Hobart.
According to the global sailing fraternity, the Sydney to Hobart really is one of the toughest yacht races in the world and I think it has a lot of similarities to running your own business.
Let’s face it... running your own business is not always smooth sailing and so many businesses could perform enormously better if they just adopted some of the disciplines used in ocean racing.
The big picture is you absolutely have to know where you are going. When you lose sight of land and the sky is as black as a coal mine, you have to not only know “where you are” but also “which way to go”.
And that’s not just you! The whole crew needs to know these things because they build commitment and unity and a sense of achievement as you tick off mile after endless mile of ocean whilst all the time measuring your progress against your competitors. That’s what keeps you motivated... nothing to do with any money.
But things can change so fast.
Imagine this... it’s that same black moonless night and you are surfing down big swells with the spinnaker up and absolutely sailing on the limit... we are racing aren’t we? ... the boat is going so fast it's sending a rooster tail of spray back into the breaking waves that are following you... and then BAM!
You’re pushing so hard you’ve lost control. The boat has wiped out, spun sideways and is on its side with everyone in the water... and it's pitch black and wet and windy and there’s ropes everywhere and you are held there for what seems like an eternity because the sails are in the water and those big swells are now rolling over you.
So what do you do? The answer is you mechanically revert back to the systems that you put in place because you knew this was going to happen. Those systems let you recover quickly and get back in the game... everyone knows what they have to do and they do it.
Systems, systems, systems... they are so fundamental to performing well but they can just go out the window if your crew is tired, wet and cold. At the end of the day, you can have the fastest yacht and the best systems but if your morale is low your race is over well before you cross the finish line. So you must put in place schedules for resting and eating and watch each other to make sure that everyone is ok.
Direction... Systems... People....
In the Sydney to Hobart your life depends on these fundamentals being constantly monitored.
What changes would you make to your business or your career if your life depended upon it?
keep your powder dry,
Warren Cottis