I was coaching a client through an organizational challenge that they were needing to start addressing. They were responsible for a multi-billion-dollar technology that would either make or break the company’s success. This leader felt both excited and frightened together in tension, every-single-day.
However, they knew they were one piece of the whole pie. Yes, the success was on their shoulders, but, if other pieces of the pie do not get baked correctly, they all will not be successful.
The problem… their leader was causing the sinking.
He started to tell me a story about a good friend of his that is a trained lifeguard. This friend was mentioning that sometimes when they are in a life or death situation with someone they are trying to save, the person they are trying to save panics and starts to flail. Their arms and legs move dangerously around, making it unsafe for them as the lifeguard to be near them.
So, one way that the lifeguard is trained to handle these situations is to knock out the person they are trying to save.
Yes, that is right.
Knock them out.
Get them safely unconscious so that they can be held and swam to safety.
This requires strategy, force, and determination.
The lifeguard must assess the current situation with a vision of the future (danger to safety). They must determine multiple options to get to the desired outcomes. They must disrupt the person from drowning by force to bring them to safety. They must be unquestionably determined to put themselves in danger and save a life without ending their’s.
My client then asked me, “Isn’t that nuts? Do you think I should do that kind of thing to my boss?”
Now to be clear, he was not actually asking if he should physically knock out his boss.
A different way to influence the organization
He was using a metaphor to consider a different way to influence the organization. He felt his boss was imposing too many limitations on him and the organization to consider new and all possibilities to help the company succeed.
He wanted to consider how to lead his leader to safety amidst the chaos of the organization sinking. He wanted to enter the water with his boss. He knew it would be dangerous and possibly career limiting.
He assessed the strategy, considered what kind of force is needed, and squared up his determination to see it through.
What do you think? How have you seen people effectively influence higher level leaders? Share below in the comments so we can learn from each other.
Go be a force of awesome! Let’s go!
I am an executive/leadership coach working with high-achieving business owners, leaders, and their teams that are working on getting to their next level of performance. You might sense that what got you here might not get you to the next achievement. Want to connect? Contact me here.
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