Climbing the Covid Mountain Pt 2: Letting Go of the Not-So-Obvious

Last month's article sparked a number of conversations with clients, colleagues and friends. What might they, their teams and their businesses need to let go of? Standing within possible reach of the Everest summit, Charles and Tom faced a stark choice and, in choosing to let go of Everest, they made the mission possible. In climbing our own mountains today, whether personal or professional, there may be all manner of things we are trying to let go of to help us navigate this ever-changing Covid landscape: old ways of working and their dated assumptions, unhealthy relationships, or perhaps poor mental health. Worthwhile endeavours indeed and yet, the paradox at the heart of Charles' Everest expedition was that for progress to be made he had to let go of the very goal he had given everything to achieve. This presents us with a conundrum: to make progress or facilitate change, might we need to let go of precisely what we think we're aiming for?

On first look this doesn't seem like the obvious thing to do. However, there are many examples of successful individuals and businesses who have done just that suggesting that letting go of the not-so-obvious might be just what’s needed. Take Kodak, for example. Yes, Kodak - the famous photography company which infamously failed to properly embrace the digital revolution (despite having invented the digital camera) and was declared bankrupt in 2012. For years afterwards, Kodak became the ‘go to example’ at leadership conferences and in business books of how not to be successful, or how not to manage change. Clinging to their pre-eminence in analogue photography, they failed to let go and their dominance dwindled. Paradoxically, had they let go of trying to safeguard what they had at all costs and embraced the emerging trends, they probably would have dominated the digital photography landscape also. They would have also been in a position to capitalise on the more recent revival in retro analogue photography which they were so well known for in the first place. If only they had learned to let go…

However, there is a triumphant twist in the tale for Kodak. In July this year, shares in Kodak jumped a whopping 1,500% and the company’s value jumped from $92m to $1.5bn USD. What caused this impressive bounce-back? A revival of its photography business to relive the glory days? Far from it - this time Kodak had let go of all that and was instead using its expertise to manufacture pharmaceuticals. In 2020, this pivot paid off when the company secured a $765m loan from the American government to make components for drugs in the fight against Covid-19.   

Or how about Triumph – the British motorbike manufacturer made famous by the likes of Steve McQueen, and more recently David Beckham and singer-songwriter, Pink? Well, their origins are a little less rock-and-roll as they started out by producing the humble bicycle and distributing sewing machines! If Triumph hadn’t learned to let go of their sewing machines early on, they probably wouldn’t be the global motorcycle brand they are today. (Full disclosure here – I do ride a Triumph motorbike, but I don’t own a sewing machine.)   

How about us today? What might you and I need to let go of? Perhaps it’s the very thing we’re trying to achieve. This might seem not-so-obvious and counter-intuitive. It probably felt like this for Kodak and Triumph as well. And yet, what the Everest expedition of 1953 invites us to consider, along with the numerous examples from the corporate world, is that letting go of the not-so-obvious could be just be what helps you to make progress.

Wanting to regain or exert control over a situation? That's an understandable desire given how chaotic and uncertain things seem. However, why not try loosening your grip instead and see what happens to you and your situation as a result? You might find you become more relaxed and creative as a leader and/or team member (and in all honesty a bit more likeable too). Paradoxically, you’ll probably then start exerting more influence over your situation. Afterall, 'control' is a rather blunt instrument when it comes to trying to respond to the complexity and volatility of our current circumstances. It's influence that we're aiming for - over ourselves perhaps, and also with our colleagues, clients and stakeholders.

Or perhaps you're rushing to be first at something, to ‘get ahead’? How about slowing down, reflecting on who or what stands to benefit from being first vs. being better, and taking note of how that helps both you and your ongoing progress. Sometimes we’re very good at getting in our own way.

So as we keep pressing onwards and upwards together, I invite you to consider letting go of the not-so-obvious, letting go of your Everest. Doing so may well make your mountains a little easier to climb.