Today, during practice with a strong team of three, I reminded them that they find themselves sitting “on the horns of a dilemma.” In other words, they are facing two equally unpalatable alternatives. They all smiled in agreement. We had last discussed this situation a few weeks prior and I told them I was about to ask them a very leading question as I was already 99.9% certain of the answer. I asked them what they had done with their learning from our last practice regarding their dilemma.
“Nothing,” came back in simultaneously ccd fashion.
Normal, I told them. When you and I find ourselves sitting on the horns of a dilemma we tend toward doing nothing. So, we remain painfully perched on two sharp objects. Slowly, these horns sink ever so more slightly into our behind. Slowly we become stuck. The only way off these prongs of slow pain and stuckedness is to make a decision and move your weight more fully onto one or the other. The dull pain will be replaced with something acute. Deciding will hurt. However, if you are at all like me, you’ll recover from a pain in your butt even if it’s a big pain.
So, if you find yourself on the horns of a dilemma realize they are probably not equally unpalatable. One is worse than the other. One is better in the long run and one is not. One is worse in the short run and one is not. And, there may be a third or fourth option you’ve simply not thought about since you’re a bit screwered at the moment. Ask for some additional perspective. Ask for help. On the horns of a dilemma is no place to take up residence. Decide. Choose the acute horn and get on with it. There are always gonna be horns with every leaders gig. You just don’t want to find yourself sitting there for long. Are you getting this? When you decide to choose is when we’ll know you are – getting it, that is. Good…
BUILT TO LEAD 