Trigger Question #176:
Christopher Columbus was a sailor who climbed the ropes to become a captain. But he was ambitious and became a navigator. This meant he got to tell other captains where to go. To do that at scale, he needed to raise capital. That’s where Queen Isabella of Spain came in. Sly Christopher convinced her to be his venture capitalist.
No doubt Christopher Columbus was a visionary, a leader, a salesman, and probably an executive as well. Yes, just like many a modern CEO or business boss.
And yet, here’s a funny thing about old Christopher. He claimed to have discovered places that the locals never realized needed to be discovered. If only the locals had known about this discovery gig, then they would have been the ones to name the places that they had already discovered before this newcomer told them how lucky they were to have now been discovered by him.
Here’s an even funnier thing about Christopher. He was lost, therefore he discovered. (A neat twist on “I think, therefore I am.”)
Here’s how it happened, if recorded history is correct. He sailed around looking for a shortcut to a place called the East Indies. He had three stabs at mission accomplished. On his first outing, he beached in the Bahamas, sailed around a bit, and went home. Then, on his next voyage, a wind blew him onto the Windward Islands. He sailed around a bit and went home. On his third attempt to find the shortcut to the East, he tripped over Trinidad, sailed around… you get the picture.
On his fourth… oh, I give up. But Christopher didn’t. He tried again. Which is why, to this day, there are people who believe he is a hero because he discovered America. Oh, please. The man was a failure. He never got to declare mission accomplished because he never got close to the East Indies. But he decided the locals were Indians and so convinced himself he had come close enough. (I will now at “spin doctor” to his list of skills.)
Many of us in senior management act like modern-day Columbuses. (Or is it Columbi?) At first we are sure of our destination (planned business outcome). Next, we don’t assume we are lost (off target) just because there are a few hiccups. And so we keep on navigating (bossing) as if we know where we are going (what we are doing). But soon things turn real murky. Now we might have a few doubts, but of course we still don’t ask the locals (employees). Because really, how can we trust them (when they didn’t even know they needed to be discovered)?
Too soon for our liking, we have only two options. Stop being so macho and ask someone for directions, I mean data. Before our board of directors, shareholders, or, heaven forbid, venture capitalists (our modern-day Queen Isabella) instruct us to get our act together.
Or we can pull a Columbus. We can act as if we are exactly where our well-thought-out strategic plan was supposed to deliver us. Mission accomplished. (But remember, this will work only if the spin doctors spin effectively.)
And that leads me to another funny thing I have noticed about Christopher Columbus and his ilk. They never learn that the locals, who have been (working) there for years, are the ones who are not lost.
Welcome to my side of the nonsense divide.
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Quote of the Moment:
“I always ask for directions. That way I can blame someone else if I’m still lost.” The Chief Nonsense Officer.
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