So last Thursday, northern Indiana, like many places in the Midwest, was struck by severe weather.
By Friday, thousands were without power, and deaths were being counted across multiple states.
Me? I was slowly walking back home through Indiana Dunes National Park with my backpack after spending the night camping in this storm (like a dumbass).
Just 10 hours earlier, I’d been face down on my sleeping pad, holding down the edges of my tarp while the rain poured down and the wind pressed me into the sand. Around me, I could hear the branches snapping, and I kept my eyes closed to guard against the sand blowing into my face.
Finally, at one point, I couldn’t help but laugh. “Guess I picked the wrong day to go camping.”
Since I had nothing to do but suffer, I set my mind to the critical task of justifying my idiocy.
The result is today’s From My Seat at the Bar—notes on learning and resiliency.
You do not learn a thing by not doing a thing.
I could have stayed home and watched the storm while sipping a delicious Manhattan Cocktail. But what’s fun about that?
You see, I enjoy competency-based hobbies—things you must learn to enjoy. Many of you have read my blog, What Deer Hunting Taught Me About Strategy. In it, I described everything you needed to know to succeed at deer hunting (if you are a natural athlete and hunter–attuned to the wilderness).
Well, camping is like deer hunting. You need a wide variety of gear to survive (dare I say thrive) outdoors. You also need to know how to use the gear, pick a campsite, set up for the evening, etc. To be successful, you need to integrate a wide variety of competencies.
Most of all, though, you don’t learn to camp by never going camping.
The world is full of people who talk, talk, talk about doing things. As executives, we need to act.
You can’t test your strategy, leadership, or team by not attempting to do things. Despite the risks, challenges, and naysayers, you must DO SOMETHING.
Teaching your team how to be successful requires them to take action – don’t let them off the hook.
You learn to deal with situations by embracing what they have to teach.
Believe it or not, I knew there would be a thunderstorm. I knew a storm was approaching by watching how the clouds were building, sensing the subtle shifts in the wind, and feeling the slightly cooler air.
I also had a weather app that told me to the minute when the front would hit.
Now, in my defense, I didn’t expect the storm to be as powerful as it was. My plan, though, was to camp in a thunderstorm.
You don’t learn how to deal with challenging situations by never putting yourself in a place to be tested.
If I want to learn how to camp in harsh weather, I need to go out and practice camping in harsh weather. There is no substitute for experience.
As a leader, put your team through the ringer. Shorten the timeframe, cut the budget, go on vacation, and let them figure it out. Otherwise, they never learn to adapt and be successful.
You must take risks to learn risk-taking.
To get stronger, you must lift heavier weights that tire you out. If you want to learn how to camp in a thunderstorm, you need to camp in a thunderstorm.
While the night was exciting (and challenging), I was prepared. I’d taken smaller risks before this night, tested my tarp and knot-tying skills, and had a bivy as a backup.
Over time, I took small risks to build my skill set and risk tolerance. In my worst case, I could zip up my bivy (water/windproof) and sip whisky from a flask until the storm blew over. Then, I’d collect the possessions I could find and walk 3 miles back to my happy home.
You are not obligated to take the BIG RISK every time you make a decision. Make smaller decisions. Become comfortable with the results and consequences. Encourage your team to experiment and learn from success and failure.
Over time, you build a capacity for risk-taking and improve your ability to judge the return relative to the consequences.
Last Call – Learn from your surprises.
On Friday, I returned home, tired but satisfied with my night out. While I had no power at my house, I did have hot water, and, like any resilient manly outdoorsman, I looked forward to cleaning up.
Before that, though, I had to remove the 10,000 TICKS SUCKING OUT ALL MY BLOOD!!!!!
Yes, dear reader, the branches blowing above me showered me with wood ticks throughout the night. I stopped counting at 50 some bites, and as I write this, I still itch in places I’d rather not describe.
The lesson?
I knew there would be ticks, but I was unprepared for the wind, blowing tree limbs, and the tick convention that apparently was taking place where I camped. Ticks blow in the wind to travel and catch unsuspecting campers.
The next time, I’ll know better.
The environment facing our organizations constantly surprises us. If we learn from these surprises, we’ll be better prepared for the next storm.
Just some thoughts From My Seat at the Bar.
