Leadership series: Fish on! Overcoming snags
By Penny Tremblay
What an exciting way to spend Father’s Day, yelling “Fish on!” often. Annually on the Father’s Day weekend, my brother, Captain Art, takes my mom, son and I on a weekend fishing trip to commemorate my father and fish his favorite lake.
Captain Art always encourages us to let enough line out so that, as we troll, our bait is moving along the bottom of the lake. “That’s where the fish are,” he says. The challenge we encounter is that there are also many rocks, logs and branches along the lakebed, so we get snagged often. When someone’s hook or line gets caught up, the forward motion of the boat must stop; everyone must reel in before we reverse the boat to release the snag, hopefully without breaking the line and losing the tackle and bait.
This got me thinking about how often in life we find ourselves snagged on something that needs resolving, and whether people chose to stop, go back, and find and fix the issue first before continuing on, or whether they continue despite the snag and risk losing so much in the long run
In the workplace for example, the best profit, productivity or performance is obtained when we work in the most efficient conditions possible, just as fish are most easily obtained where it makes the most sense to troll—along the bottom. But, as with the lakebed, the workplace environment is rich with obstacles which may snag us. However, it’s important to work in these productive areas
rather than taking an easier path, because if you’re not on bottom, you’re not amongst the fish. The most productive zones can be risky; perhaps you might find yourself caught up in something unexpected or unwanted, or in what seems like a time-waster or barrier to your success.
Becoming ‘snagged’ could mean:
- Uncovering the need for training in a certain area of your career or for your team because times are changing and people need to be skilled to move forward.
- An unresolved conflict between you and a coworker, customer or relative, or between two departments in an organization.
- Finding yourself in an unexpected circumstance, and needing to come to terms with where you are and how you got there, so that you can determine the best way forward.
- Needing to have a difficult conversation or work through uncomfortable feedback so that you can come out stronger in the end.
- Noticing that a process is not safe for the people involved, and that better safety measures are required before proceeding.
It may seem easier to continue forward without properly unhooking yourself from a snag, but you could risk losing everything if you do so.
This metaphor of fishing close to the bottom despite the possible snags is reflected in many areas of our lives. In business, we can become snagged often because we are moving so quickly that we are not taking the time to nurture relationships or embrace change.
When our lines get caught and we become held back, we must realize that we have a choice between two options. The first is to take a brief time-out, go backward, find the problem and fix it before we resume forward motion again. This takes time, but in the long run, you will go faster. The second option is not the best, but is a shortcut often taken: avoid the snag, move forward anyway, and hope that everything works out. The problem with this option is that within it lies a bigger risk—the risk of losing respect, trust, loyalty, or possibly even a life.
Snags, therefore, are good things. They help us see the importance of taking the time to make sure that, although we’re fishing along the bottom, our bait is poised perfectly for the greatest success. Before you know it, you’ll hear “Fish on!” and maybe even experience a double- or triple-header—when many people in the same boat are elated to discover some real big successes hooked on the ends of their lines at the same time.
Where do you feel you’ve been snagged but haven’t yet gone back to the source to unhook yourself?
In closing, I would like honour all of the men who read my articles. Tying these important concepts to a sport that many men can relate to is my offering this month, in addition I’ve included some photos that I think you might enjoy.
Best wishes for courage and patience to stop, reverse, and become un-snagged, so that you may move forward more efficiently in the long run, and reap an abundance of fish.
Penny
Click here for a leadership training opportunity in North Bay
www.PennyTremblay.com
* Dedicated to Captain Art, and my father’s spirit, which calls me to be courageous.