Be a Bison! (Not a Goldfish)

I love Ted Lasso, and he has become famous for his advice to “Be a Goldfish”. Well, today I’m asserting my claim to fame: “Be a Bison!” ?

The bison, when faced with an approaching winter storm, exemplifies a remarkable instinct: while other animals flee from the coming storm, the bison walks directly towards it. Because the storm and the fleeing animals are both moving in the same direction, those animals are actually trapped in the snow longer, leading to exhaustion and often death. By striding bravely into the storm, the bison actually takes the brunt of it for a shorter amount of time and emerges on the other side.?

Mistakes and Challenges Are Everywhere?

We all make mistakes - and some of them may be massive. When I first started my career, I was a Jedi analyst at a management consulting firm. Within a few months, I had become so trusted that the partner would let me make data slides for her and she would deliver them cold, often not seeing them until she was presenting. One time, I was running a data team that worked for 3 straight days to process over 30K rows to create one amazing summary slide letting a client know what to do next. While the partner was finishing her presentation and leaving the client, I realized we had improperly coded 2 lines, but those 2 lines actually changed the answer. ?

My energy dropped and I just stared at the wall - I was heartbroken, completely shaken, and actually scared. I consider myself a high-performer, and I had no idea what to do. I could hide the mistake – no one would find the 2 rows. Or I could blame a member of my team – no one could possibly expect me to review all 30K rows myself. She was going to land that evening – so I had just a few hours to figure out my next step.?

Great Leaders Go Through the Storm?

The more I study great leaders at different companies, the more I find that they all employ the same approach when facing a storm: Accept that the problem exists, own up to any mistakes that were made, and then go full force into finding a solution.?

Reed Hastings of Netflix, when confronted with the decline of DVD rentals, boldly invested in streaming technology despite skepticism. By facing the challenge head-on, Netflix not only transformed the entertainment industry but also solidified its position as a market leader. We all know what happened to Blockbuster when they refused to accept the challenge that was coming.?

Similarly, Apple's response to the Antennagate crisis showcased the importance of acknowledging mistakes and implementing solutions. Rather than downplaying the issue, Steve Jobs held a press conference, admitting fault and offering free cases to affected customers. This transparent approach not only preserved consumer trust but also reinforced Apple's commitment to customer satisfaction, turning a crisis into an opportunity for growth and improvement.?

Starbucks' response to a racial bias incident in one of its stores serves as another prime example. Kevin Johnson made the decision to close thousands of stores for a day to conduct racial bias training. Although this cost millions, Starbucks acknowledged the problem and took proactive steps to address it, demonstrating commitment to inclusion and earning back the respect of their clients.?

Use Your Energy for Solutions, Not Finger-Pointing?

As a leader, you output a certain energy every day that drives your team and organization forward. And you have a choice where to apply it. When a major challenge arises, you can choose to put your energy into figuring out how to hide it or who should be blamed – but this won’t create the result you need.?

A great mentor once told me: “Don’t use your intellect to judge people. Use it to create solutions.” When a huge challenge arises, I take that to mean that I should take 5% of my energy at the beginning to accept the challenge, admit any mistakes I made or take ownership for my organization’s mistakes, and then spend 95% of my energy and the energy of my team to find the best possible solution. I guarantee that this approach will increase harmony in the team and get everyone else also thinking about how to move forward. ?

I Told Her I Screwed Up?

When the partner that I worked for returned that evening, I was waiting at the office for her. I told her about the mistake we had made, took ownership since I was in charge of the data team, and told her I was there to do whatever was possible to fix it. We ended up staying up most of that night, but we created a plan to go back to the client successfully the next day. And instead of being fired, I actually earned the trust and respect of my boss. ?

Be A Bison!?

When you are facing your next big, hairy challenge – remember the bison! Yes, there is a huge storm ahead of you. There is no way to sugarcoat that. But face it head-on and walk straight into the storm. Find the best solutions you can, square up your shoulders, and walk through the problem. Before you know it, you will find yourself on the other side. And along the way, you will have created a stronger team that is even more ready for the next challenge that comes.?

About Us?

Maneva Group is a?woman and minority owned?national?Executive Search firm focusing on the social sector,?with expertise in completely managing the recruiting process, curating diverse and exceptionally qualified candidate pools,?and advising C-suite executives and board members through crucial hiring decisions.???

If you want to discuss hiring impactful leaders for your organization, reach out to me at? [email protected]. We will schedule a no-cost, no obligation 30-minute consultation to discuss how to meet your goals.?