Let's call her Sally.
Sally was a good person.
She had the right HEART for the job.
She had the right ATTITUDE for the job.
But unfortunately......
She had the WRONG SKILLS for the job.
We both new it.
For a very long time.
Too long of a time.
We both clung to the false hope that.things would change and she would just one day.......
Get it.
But we both new the truth.
For a very long time.
Too long of a time.
Sally was NEVER going to get it.
EVER.
No matter how many people helped show her the way.
Or how many training videos she watched.
It was NEVER going to happen
EVER.
It wasn't time to QUIT and GIVE UP.
It was time to STOP and MOVE ON.
But it hurt too much to do the right thing.
I wanted to fire Sally without going through the ACT of firing Sally.
I didn't want to hurt her.
I have opined in previous posts that the RIGHT decision is seldom a COMFORTABLE decision.
Moving an aging parent into a nursing home despite that parent's plea to stay in the family home.
Giving that newborn baby up for adoption knowing that child will wonder who you were and why you gave her up.
These are daunting decisions preceded by frightening conversations.
These are also COURAGEOUS decisions preceded by NECESSARY conversations.
Decisions that affect lives.
Forever.
Decisions where opting for the status quo offers a temporary but false hope.....
And short-term comfort in exchange for long-term pain.
 |
| Sir Earnest Shackleton |
It's a story that has been dissected by top graduate business schools as the model for survival, leadership and crisis management.
After leaving the continent, Shackleton's ship, the Endurance, became trapped in sea ice. Unable to break free, the men, helplessly watched the ice slowly crush the ship over a period of ten months.
The crew was forced to abandon ship and camp on the ice flows for five months.
After five terrifying days in three lifeboats, Shackleton and crew landed on Elephant Island.
This was the men's first time on land in 497 days.
But Shackleton knew they could not remain on Elephant Island.
It was inhospitable to human beings.
And far from any shipping routes.
They would NEVER be found.
And they would eventually die.
Shackleton knew what had to be done.
They had to risk an open-boat attempt in one of the lifeboats to the nearest whaling station--South Georgia Island.
Over 720 nautical miles away.
In rough seas.
And hurricane-force winds.
A daunting decision.
Stay on "safe" land and surely but slowly die.
Or.......
Get in the boat, set sail for the terrifying unknown to arrive at a better place.....
.......while recognizing death was the more likely outcome.
I suspect this was a daunting decision preceded by frightening conversations.
But also a COURAGEOUS decision preceded by NECESSARY conversations.
A decision that would affect lives.
Forever.
A decision where opting for the status quo would offer a temporary but false hope.....
And short-term comfort in exchange for long-term pain.
And death.
Shackleton's decision to leave the island was a tough decision.
But it was the RIGHT decision.
For he and is men made it to help at South Georgia Island.
All of his men survived.
I fired Sally on a Friday afternoon.
There were tears.
But Sally's tears weren't tears of sadness.
They were tears of relief.
She didn't have to worry about telling her husband she had QUIT and GAVE UP.
She could tell him she had STOPPED and MOVED ON.
With dignity.
Because the false hope and temporary safety of the island was no longer an option.
She didn't have to be scared of sailing into the unknown anymore.
The winds were now blowing her way.
She was free to get in the boat.
And set sail for a better place.
AMJ
