You should know this by now, but it is important to remind
you that nothing seldom goes according to plan. This brings me to the issue of
curve balls. In Baseball, a curve ball is a delivery in which the pitcher
causes the ball to deviate from a straight path by imparting spin. It is meant
to give the opposing team a hard time tracking the ball. It can also be defined
in general terms as something which is unexpected, surprising or disruptive.
When somebody throws you a curveball, they have basically put you in a tight spot,
a position which is a disadvantage of sorts for you.
The world we live in is full of curve balls whether in our
personal lives, business, work, ministry, you name it. We are constantly
battling one or another unexpected turn of events. Is there anything we can do
to prepare ourselves for these kinds of situations? How do you as a business
survive the curveball thrown for example by the disruption of Artificial
Intelligence? How do you navigate an ailment that shows up unexpectedly as most
of them do?
As part of your planning, you need to do a SWOT and a PEST
analysis. Most of the curveballs show up as a result of the weaknesses and
threats that we fail to anticipate. It is important to do an accurate analysis
of your weaknesses and threats so that you give yourself a better chance at
fighting and winning against this challenges. Never fail to do due diligence in
this regard. You are better off with a strategy of some kind of dealing with
your issues as opposed to none.
Curveballs are just that. They come in unexpectedly. There
is no plan that is foolproof against all manner of challenges. Planning is just
meant to give you a framework from which to wage war against your challenges.
In reality you deal with each situation as it comes but with a framework you
are somehow in charge of the situation. Mike Tyson says you have a plan until
you take the first punch in the face.
Your planning is meant to help you identify the threats that
you are likely to face on the battle field. This comes from assessing the
terrain on which the battle is to be fought out. This is why that PEST Analysis
mentioned above comes into play. Until you know the environment you are
operating in, you can’t tell what challenges you are likely to face. Elements
of this analysis are bound to change with time and they must be constantly
reviewed and a proactive plan helps you stay ahead of the curve.
Your weaknesses must be addressed way before they become a
problem. Drawing from the wisdom of the Navy Seals, when you are under
pressure, you don’t rise to the occasion, you sink to the level of your
training. Training is one of the most effective ways to deal with challenging
situations. Training is a proactive or should be a proactive process done well
in advance. You do not want to be forced into improvisation on the battle
field. Improvisation shouldn’t be your first reaction under pressure. It needs
to come after you have done what your training prepared you for and it hasn’t
worked out. Training must address all the weaknesses you have which can
jeorpadize your success on the mission. The Book of proverbs in the Bible
states that you need good counsel when going out to war-Proverbs 20:18, 15:22
Have a strategy in place for dealing with foreseeable
challenges. Decide in advance how you will respond in case things begin to go
south in one area or another. As for unforeseeable challenges, a framework for
response is the best thing you can have on your side. A framework guides your
response. Without a framework, you will be forced to react and chances are you
will make avoidable mistakes. Most of us wait for things to happen before we
look for an angle of attack. The best militaries respond to situations with
precision because they have replayed them in training several times over. The
truth is that you cannot tell what is coming next all the time but you can
position yourself to respond proactively. That is what anticipating curveballs
is all about. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that you will just maneuver
out of your predicament miraculously. God works both miraculously and
meticulously.
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Photo Credits-Invisibly me.
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