Switchbacks

OpEd from the desk of Transporter Editor Reed Hollinshead.

The shortest route between Point A and Point B is a straight line – we all learned that in math class way back when, hopefully. But what happens when a straight line is not advisable, or even possible? We create switchbacks.

The switchback is a sudden change, a radical shift in direction. It may not be the quickest or shortest route, but it is usually the best one.  Switchbacks are often used by those blazing trails where none existed before. A road or path up a mountainside or in rough terrain will almost surely be filled with switchbacks. Going straight up the mountain may seem like the most direct approach, but it is usually not advisable. Confronted with that much adversity, most will seek another way. The Path of Least Resistance.

Some live for the challenge of the direct route. Some embrace the ease of the established route. The working world is filled with both. And there’s validity in both approaches. At different times -- especially given workloads -- both have appeal.

That should give new meaning to the phrase, “Let’s get on the same page.” It generally means we need to meet or talk about it so we all know which way we are going and how we’ll get there. That doesn’t necessarily mean that we are in perfect alignment – we likely will take different paths to get there, and will have different things in our toolkits when we arrive.

You need a visionary thinker who sees things as they could be rather than as they are today. You need a strategic thinker to come up with the gameplan in order to deliver the product to the right people at the right time. But you need more than just the thinkers. You need a builder, who is focused on relationships and can build a strong coalition of support. That person usually makes the team greater than the sum of its parts. That person may be the woo-hoo type of individual, the cheerleader who can build a broad network. Just as important as the inch-deep and mile-wide approach is the one willing to go a mile deep to build strong interpersonal bonds. Think social velcro.

You need an activator or doer who takes the bull by the horns and gets things done. They may be seen as abrasive by some because of what is perceived as a single-minded focus on results. This may manifest as relational teflon. You need someone to influence and steer the conversation, but also someone to execute the vision. On rare occasions it may be the same person, but those two disparate qualities usually don’t exist in the same body. And you need a learner, someone who is committed to continuous improvement and is best taking an objective look at it, so that we learn from mistakes and improve processes, knowing that we'll likely be repeating the process in the future.

We all bring different qualities to the table. Not better or worse, necessarily. Just different. We likely all took different paths.

Some may go straight up the mountain. Some will follow the path in front of them, which may include switchbacks. One way is not inherently better than the other. The switchbacks were put there for a reason. They may be preferred; even necessary.

Being “on the same page” does not have to mean we have to be in lock-step. Same destination, but different steps to get there. We each carry a different quality on the trip – Learner, Catalyst, Motivator, Visionary, Strategic Thinker, Builder, Doer — different, but uniquely valuable. A people and a path - likely filled with switchbacks.

Published 08-23-19