By Virgil Benyayer
Like La Fontaine’s Fables, some stories are far more effective at conveying management lessons than long theories. During my training and coaching sessions, I particularly like to tell the story of the lighthouse and the captain. It’s a simple metaphor that often helps to overcome professional or personal blockages.
One foggy morning, a fishing boat returns to port, loaded with fish. Exhausted after an exhausting night, the captain longs to return to dry land. But his path is suddenly blocked by another unknown vessel.
A tense conversation begins over the radio:
“- We are approaching at high speed, please turn east as quickly as possible.”
“- No, it’s up to you to go around me to starboard.”
“- I REPEAT: WE ARE APPROACHING AT HIGH SPEED, STAND BACK!”
“- Impossible, it’s up to you to change course.”
Mad with exasperation and fatigue, the captain launched into a tirade of insults worthy of Captain Haddock, demanding that the damned boat deign to make way for him.
“- BACHIBOUZOUK DE TONNERRE DE BREST, STEP BACK NOW!
“- But I can’t move, I’m the lighthouse keeper…”
At this point, my participants smile, without always feeling concerned. Until I ask them:
Have you ever been exasperated by the immobility of your employees, service providers or customers?
The lesson is simple: sometimes the problem isn’t other people, but our own analysis.
Some obstacles can’t be moved.
Instead of insisting on impossible change, we must learn to adapt our trajectory.
A good manager should always start by asking himself:
This introspection leads to greater agility, better management of obstacles,
and the ability to gain perspective in complex situations.
By adjusting his trajectory – by port or starboard – the leader can move serenely towards his goal and reach the right port.
How do you adapt your leadership in the face of immovable obstacles?
When a situation doesn’t improve quickly, it’s often because our initial analysis was wrong.
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