When your compass falls overboard

A great leader is often described as someone with a crystal clear purpose and clarity in the mission ahead. A commonly used metaphor for leading a team is being the captain of a ship. They are supposed to have a predetermined definition of success or failure for the mission prior to embarking on their journey. They should have absolute knowledge of their vessel and its inner workings.

But what if they don't have any of that?

• What happens if the captain does no longer know in which direction to sail?
• What do you do if there is no wind and you are not moving in any direction?
• How do you delegate to your skippers if the critical functions onboard have changed?

I experienced the last few weeks exactly that: having absolutely no clue where we were going, how to get there, and why we were doing what we do. It felt my inner compass fell overboard and with it, my clarity, intention, ambition, and self-confidence.

Navigating through stormy waters 

Picture our ?? boat on the open rough sea called VUCA which characterizes the nature of the difficult conditions and uncertain situations we navigated through. It is obvious that you don't win the race or thrive in life by ignoring ever-changing wind conditions. Now add some strong, unexpected waves to it called COVID-19 which tests the captain's savviness to react accordingly. Let me tell you, I felt the pressure!!

Insight 1: I reacted, I changed the position of our sails. And it means risk-taking.

If you don’t change course in the face of adversity, it means you’re not keeping an open mind. Unless you see things differently with objectivity, problems start when you fail to keep an open mind. How did that look in practice?

1. We changed our coaching format from a mix of on-location events and online training sessions to an online-only format with virtual coaching sessions.
2. We doubled our team size by hiring for a cultural fit and attract talents with the relevant skills and capabilities.
3. We automated and streamlined the project management of our B2C programs.
4. We invested in e-commerce to make business transactions easier for our clients and us.
5. We built a totally new product: the SOCIAL SELLING ACADEMY (stay tuned. We launch end of July 2020)

Summarizing these points now may seem to you like I knew exactly what I was doing. The truth is all these action steps consisted of wild guesses, tests, brainstorm outcomes, clients' feedback, and assumptions. We tested, evaluated, tried again and again.

When things are moving really fast, it’s easy to get hit by even the smallest change, it’s important to always monitor the constants even when your focus is easily shifted elsewhere.

Staying afloat and keeping our heads above the water

I had no idea HOW we would stay afloat. All I knew was that one way or another, I will keep our heads above the water. I usually try to focus on what I can control instead of what is outside of my control. However, the "not knowing" stressed me out. I felt anxious. I was worried. It kept me up at night. I reached out to my mentors and coaches because I needed to gain perspective and wanted someone to tell me "eventually it will all be okay".

I could feel how I changed as a person throughout this process. I realized that I want something different from what I am currently doing. In the moment of fear, I was confronted with what I truly desire and dream of. At first, gaining this new insight was a journey inwards. As a second step, sharing this change of strategy with my environment scared me.

• What if they wouldn't understand?
• What if they wouldn't buy into my new vision and leave (me)?
• What if I change the course, we hit an iceberg, and we cannot recover from the damages?

So many "what if's"... so many stories I kept on telling myself to avoid speaking up. One day, I counted backward: 3....2....1.... let's go. I just spit it out. I was honest about how I feel, what my worries are, and what our situation is. Guess what? The team empathized, understood, and supported me in my decisions!

Sailing close to the wind to jump on opportunities

I know that giving my team or crew autonomy is important for success, but too little can be frustrating, while too much can be overwhelming. It relies on a two-way trust between leader and team. 

Insight 2: Health, wellness, team work and trust are now more critical than ever.

Since we all work remotely as digital nomads, clear communication and blind trust is crucial to get into action. That is why I decided to bring the entire team to Amsterdam. They all crashed at my apartment: we had a fun sleepover, bike rides through the Dutch rain, a photoshoot, dinners & drinks as well as focused work time to come up with new ideas.

I am 100% committed to the health and wellness of my team - mentally, physically, and emotionally. I believe when my team intrinsically buys into the outcome of the mission and is appropriately compensated, psychologically as well as financially, they will go above and beyond the call of duty to achieve the mission goals - every time!

??????

Only a few more weeks until the entire team FRANSCHA will join me in Croatia to partially sail, work, have fun, and bond.

The anchor to ground me

We are each other's safety net! I can let my guard down, speak the truth and say "I don't know" and my team will find the answer together with me. The sailors and skippers on my boat are like anchors for me that ground me whenever I need it.

Insight 3: Be calm in rough waters and have patience in low wind.

It is the mix of getting the teamwork and personal element right. Creating a common identity and intent is vital on a boat and in business. I learned a lot about how to encourage, create beacons, inspire, and support people who have different needs. And equally, they learned what I desire, what I fear, and what I believe in.

What do I wanna leave you with: Enjoy the ride of life!

You can either sit on a rollercoaster gripping onto the handlebar or you throw your arms in the air, scream, and make the best out of the ride. I decided to keep my arms in the air!

Keep your head up,

Fran 

FYI: All sailing pictures are taken by me during the trip through Croatia in 2018.