Jersey Shore III: Undertow
Nice dinner last night at Martini Beach. Crowds not as thick as last year, restaurant with open tables at 7 on a Saturday. Finished with an Opus X and chocolate covered jellies and nuts on the balcony. Maria’s seagull made another pass today at her lunch, but the anti-seagull fire drove him off. Started my morning ritual of getting coffee at 7 at the diner, then wandering over to watch the bikers, joggers, and walkers on the boardwalk (which is really asphalt), then writing, until the beach guys open with the chairs and umbrellas at 8:30, so that I can get settled right on the water. Maria usually get there in the next hour or so.
The breakers have been fabulous, but very rough, with a strong undertow, even though I’m prepared for it. Which got me to thinking, as I was trying to estimate the next wave’s cycle so as not to get clobbered (which has happened three times thus far).
A lot of consultants are stuck in the undertow. They are willing to venture out, dare the oncoming waves, enjoy the rush. But they keep getting pulled farther out because the don’t apply discretion or judgment, or even common sense. When they finally extricate themselves, they are farther down the beach, temporarily lost, and too intimidated to go out and try the waves again.
The “undertow” in this profession comprises buzzwords, fads, training people, meeting planners, human resources, academics’ books, invalid testing instruments, poor coaches, victimization mentalities, professional groups that set the wrong standards, and demanding clients. Some consultants get caught in all that undertow and find themselves either needing rescue or exhausted when they finally drag themselves back to the beach.
You can’t just dip your toe in the water. You should make waves. Just don’t let the waves make you.
Watch out for the undertow.
© Alan Weiss 2010. All rights reserved.
