Paradigm shifts
There’s a great story Stephen Covey used in Seven Habits, to explain paradigm shifts. A US battleship (according to most legend and internet folklore it was the USS Missouri) was at sea, when the man on watch sighted lights ahead on a collision course. The signal converation apparently went something like this:
U.S. Ship: Please divert your course 15 degrees to the North to avoid collision. CDN reply: Recommend you divert YOUR course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.
U.S. Ship: This is the Captain of a U.S. Navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course.
CDN reply: No. I say again, you divert YOUR course.
U.S. Ship: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS MISSOURI. WE ARE A LARGE WARSHIP OF
THE US NAVY. DIVERT YOUR COURSE NOW!
CDN reply: This is a lighthouse. Your call.
That instantaneous elucidation is a classic paradigm shift. Sometimes it’s tough to see the shift though, especially if the sailor is too bogged down in trying to stay on the chosen course. In those cases a change in perspective usually helps. Step away. Look from the other side. stand on your head if you have to. One thing I do believe – the smaller thinkers will refuse to see the paradigm shifts, and fail to see the potential that is revealed. Small thinkers will obsess about trivial details and not see the big picture. This is one of situations in which I would agree with Simon Baker when he suggests in a recent blog post that when someone resigns – accept it. People who miss the proverbial boat (excuse me overstretching the analogy) deserve every chance to go find another one somewhere else.