I’m not much of a caving guru either, but like many, I’ve been closely tracking the amazing rescue of the Wild Boars team at the Tham Luang Cave, Thailand. As we celebrate a truly remarkable outcome, let’s also reflect on some lessons in leadership we can take and apply to our businesses.
Asking for help
When was the last time you asked for help with your business? Sometimes in disaster situations, we see the affected country try and ‘go it alone’. Others, like in these weeks’, a heartfelt plea for assistance. Here the authorities took help from the local community for their intimate knowledge of the cave system and the impact of local seasonal rains. They called upon the caving community for their technical expertise and the global community for enough child sized full face masks. There was no sense of ego, just a genuine request for specific help in the seemingly mission impossible. And help arrived. Hmmm…
Focus and belief
Again. The Thai authorities seemed to make a conscious decision that they were going to make this a successful outcome. They literally threw everything at the problem. The expertise, the equipment, the people, Plan A, Plan B, Plan C… They kept searching when many might have felt there was little hope.
Planning and Preparation
For this ‘must count’ opportunity to rescue the team and their coach, nothing was left to chance. From the set-up of bases deep into the cave systems to the practice of their methods on kids in the local pool. Everything was meticulously planned, each diver knowing exactly their role. It makes you reflect, how often do you ‘dry run’ critical sales pitches? Or crucial employee communications? How much could these benefit you and your business?
Resourcefulness
The assistant coach and his team had so little to work with once stuck in the cave and yet all emerged in amazingly good shape. They appear to have managed their limited resources incredibly well. Sugary birthday treats were a great start, and the initiative to gather drinking water off the walls must have been lifesaving. The decision of the 24-year-old assistant coach to teach the boys meditation to keep them calm, as well as reduce the amount of oxygen used, strikes me as one of the best possible examples of transferable skills being brought into play. What skills are hidden within the team that can save the day for you? Are your team thinking about all the resources available to them – the visible and invisible?
One of the tips often shared for how to make the most of the precious hours available to us, is to shun the news. After all, it’s a negative dirge, often highlighting the worst plights and discord across the world. But for this past couple of weeks, I’m glad I’ve not yet managed to kick the habit – there are inspiration and positivity aplenty.
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