Dead bugs, rock chips, and windshield wipers

It is January 2024 and the first of many CUInsight articles. By now, many of you are a few weeks past the enactment of your resolutions, promises, and organizational strategies for the new year. So how is it going? I hope you are all on the right course and making progress toward your personal and professional goals.

Many of you are familiar with the phrase, “Navigating the future via the rear-view mirror.”  We take small, incremental steps toward an uncertain future using the past (ahem, “experience”) to guide our way. As a result, we drive forward very carefully until some unknown thing goes “bang” along our chosen path.

Even if we choose to look through the windshield instead of the rear-view mirror, there will still be events and phenomena that will knock us off course. This can happen despite our best efforts, numerous board planning sessions, and an abundance of roadmaps prepared for every known contingency. One thing is true in these scenarios: success comes to those resilient enough to keep going.

I just read a great McKinsey article titled, “Black Swans, Gray Rhinos, and Silver Linings: Anticipating Geopolitical Risks (and Openings)” by Andrew Grant, Ziad Haider, and Anke Raufuss. The metaphors used in this article present an excellent way to view resilience in terms of scenario planning. I highly recommend you read the article as well!

I will attempt to use an alternate set of metaphors (that may not be as eloquent as the McKinsey article) related to maintaining momentum during your drive to success. In terms of navigating via the windshield vs. the rearview mirror, the metaphors for this article are dead bugs, rock chips, and windshield wipers.

Dead bugs

Dead bugs will splatter across your windshield as you drive. Drive long distances, and you are sure to encounter lots of bugs. Not just on your windshield, but the front bumper, hood, and roof. Some leave large splats, others just roll off.

In this analogy, consider dead bugs to be the opinions and comments of others. As with any strategic plan, some will not like change because they are comfortable with the status quo and don’t like what change may imply. Their objections can sometimes offer no value. While these can distract you from your view, or be outright annoying, just as dead bugs on your windshield, remember that you can clean or dust them off and keep on trucking!

Rock chips

I hate hearing something solid striking the windshield. Bugs are one thing, but rocks are another. It makes you start looking for chips along the windshield and is immediately distracting. Plus, rock chips are often beyond our control. Still, if not tended to, rock chips can crack an entire windshield which can be very expensive to replace.

I see rock chips as those seemingly small and insignificant things that will get worse if you ignore them for too long. Sure, you can drive a few more miles, or maybe go a week or two before you really need to do something. However, you never want to arrive at your destination with a busted windshield. My point is that when certain rock chips occur, we need to fix what needs fixing and resume our course.

Windshield wipers

Windshield wipers in good working condition are a wonderful thing. There will be rainy days of doubt on your strategic path. Rain on your windshield will impair your vision, cause you to miss other obstacles, and maybe crash your vehicle. This is why having good windshield wipers is necessary.

We all have our trusted, experienced, and accessible supporters who are our sounding board on whether we’re doing good or need to make adjustments or improvements. Their advice is like a windshield wiper. It clarifies our vision, wipes away doubt, and in some cases, tells us if we have a bigger problem.

In fact, what is the first thing you do when a large bug or rock hits your windshield? Most turn on their windshield wipers to see if there is an immediate need to address the problem. I like having a team of solid advisers I can quickly turn to in times like these.

Additionally, if it is raining (which, in this scenario, represents doubt), we can adjust the speed of the wipers and keep them on to clear our vision; the same thing applies to trusted advisors and seeking their assistance. The good news is that we have the ability to decide when and how much of their help is needed.

Faulty windshield wipers can make things worse. Eventually, they will need to be replaced. Some windshield wipers may accomplish the same task at a fraction of the cost. The idea here is to make sure you are getting dependable, sound advice.

I hope this analogy was useful to you, or at least got you to think as you continue on your journey into 2024! Of course, there are more metaphors we could start drawing from such as balanced tires, proper alignment, or fixing flats; I trust you get the picture. In order to reach your destination successfully, know what distractions are small, which ones need tending to, and make sure you have a solid support system to get you there!