Not long ago, we faced a recurring issue with an underperforming vendor. Let’s just say, they needed to get their act together, and speedy-like. We’d been through months of banging our heads against the wall and were at our wit’s end. In this case, the simple solution of firing the vendor and finding a replacement wasn’t as simple as it sounded.
Finally, the revelation came when (surprise!) I was explaining it to someone who hadn’t been involved in the details. They weren’t scarred by the experience. They were refreshingly green. Their perspective was pure. And apparently, that’s exactly the clarity we needed to resolve this issue.
Now, could I have come up with the solution if I’d cleared my mind? Yes.
That is, if I’d allowed myself to ask the simple questions. If I had stepped out of the trees. If I hadn’t been so busy dodging the road kill, complaining about the stench, and hoping that someone else would clean up the mess. Yes, I too could have been the wise sage of the day.
Lesson learned?
We deal with distractions and minutiae all day long. (Yeah – 20 emails in the time it took to write this.) But, it’s during these times of craziness that it’s even more important to find that source of clarity. I’ll bet you have it inside. Or, you know someone who could help. The key is to recognize that feeling desperate is a big red flag. Those gut feelings mean something. Take the time to listen to them.
