Pulling in Different Directions may Very Well be the Best Strategy

It was sunny, warm, and relaxing as I came across something that I have added to this article, in a photograph, for you all to see. It really is not much to be totally frank with you. A new tree is planted and stakes are driven into the ground to keep the tree upright. Not a big deal right? Who doesn’t love trees? In time, this tree will grow tall enough to fit right in with other “tropical looking” trees. Nah, it is not an oak tree or a spruce. Surely, it is not a Redwood. But it is truly South Florida in all its splendor. I took a photo, admiring the young tree.

I kept walking.

But then, as I usually do in the course of a work out…and most definitely when I used to run, my mind gets moving. I solve problems. I make plans. I get philosophical. My thoughts went back to the tree, I photographed about a mile or two earlier. I looked at the photo in order to gain some clarification to what I was thinking. Then it became very clear to me.

The stakes, in an effort to keep the tree upright were all pulling in different directions.

How can that be?

How can any success come to anything when the movement is in opposite directions?

But I get it. And it transfers extremely well into people and their trials and tribulations. As General Patton remarked, “If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking.” That is not to say, the “pulling in opposite directions” is there to sabotage efforts, but rather to debate the different roads that will bring success at the finish line. There must always be a demand, not merely a request, that different minded people are part of the team, each respectfully arguing their points with documented support and strong rebuttal as to why their “way” is the best one.

In the “Art of War” Sun Tzu pointed out that If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.

The secret obviously is to know yourself. Sun Tzu does not bring to the equation, what happens if you know your enemy but not yourself. Interesting. I suspect, if you do not know yourself, you are screwed from the get-go. Nothing good will take place. There is no 50-50.

Therefore, every effort must be made that different opinions are invited to the table but even more so, that you ( your team) knows your strengths and weaknesses. You know your capabilities. You know yourself.

The old saying, “don’t kill the messenger” should be replaced with “kill the one who does not bring the message.” ( I am being facetious of course in terms of being literal). Hence, in order to get the best, undiluted message, the “stakes” must pull in different directions, keeping the “tree” upright.

It is amazing what you can conjure up when you allow your mind to think, to solve. And to summon my inner Dr. Seuss, “Oh the places you’ll go.”