"Houston We Have a Problem"
Straight from Allie's desk: On April 11th, 1970 Apollo 13 was launched from Kennedy Space Station. It was just two days into the mission when the oxygen tank in the service module failed. All it took was four short words from flight commander Jim Lovell to change everything: "Houston, we have a problem".
Back down on earth, in March of 2020, our entire planet has a problem; that problem is the COVID-19 Pandemic.
It is wildly scary, wildly unpredictable, and wildly uncomfortable. Last week, when we experienced client after client after client calling to postpone their Alchemy sessions with us, I immediately called Sandy and said "Houston, we have a problem". There I was practically paralyzed in fear - fear for my family, my community, our health, our safety - and now I was adding on the fear over the fate of our company.
Fortunately, we have been practicing leadership long enough to be able to identify our fears and our imbalance, and know when it's time to call our coach.
Rewind back to Apollo 13 - shortly into the disaster it became clear to the team back in Houston that the lunar module was in danger of never returning to earth. Lead flight director, Gene Kranz, was unwilling to let this be "the worst disaster NASA had ever experienced". Unwilling. So instead, he declared, "With all due respect gentleman, I believe this is going to be our finest hour."
And boy was he right! Gene chose to capitalize on the fear, nurture the fear and create one of the most heroic stories in NASA history.
So, as Sandy and I slowed this whole situation down with our coach, we came to realize: what if this could be OUR finest hour? What if HOW we CHOOSE to respond to this pandemic is our finest hour? What if we choose to harvest and nurture the fear? What if we get to CHOOSE who we want to be in this new situation?
Today I am choosing - I am choosing the feel the fear, face it, harvest it and rise. I am choosing for this to be my finest hour. I am choosing to take a stand for clear thinking. I am choosing to continue to ask for coaching for myself, so I can in turn coach others. I am choosing to reach out to family, colleagues and clients to offer my compassion and help people think things through. Supporting clients through this pandemic is our finest hour.
We need leaders NOW more than ever - we need YOU more than ever to be on the court, practicing your leadership, practicing asking for help, practicing asking level 8 questions at a time when people are forgetting what to ask.
So, are you willing to join me and transform this situation into our finest hour?
Are you willing to extend coaching to a person in need? Let's make this a heroic story together.
One final forecast: For our readers who are alumni of the Leadership Experience, Alchemy is going to serve YOU right now. Watch your inbox for something coming your way in the next two weeks.
Keep up the Inspiring work,
