Now that we have asked the first basic question, 1-Start with WHERE
and realizing that WHERE is always defined by 2- What WHERE is in between
then the next question is
3-On The Way to Where?
which means lets flesh out the co-0rdinates.
If we are in-between life and death
if we are in-between Pandemic threat and Pandemic resolution
If we are in-between lack of preparation and total national meltdown?
When we face a crisis, we usally have a good idea of what the desired destination is, that the crisis be over or be solved, that the Titanic not sink, that the virus stop infecting and killing people.
We know were we want to end up even if we have no clue how to get there. But at least knowing the end gives us a coordinate. We know where our WHERE should ideally be between. It could be written as W = (-) ? It sounds like an equation, but knowing that does not necessarily tell us if we are moving towards our goal. Are we moving towards that end. That is what we have to find out next. We have to measure the momentum, not just the moment.
IF WHERE IS DEFINED BY THE BETWEEN, LET US DEFINE IN THE IDEAL WHAT WE WANT OUR WHERE TO BE BETWEEN.
………the erupting and growing crisis of COVAID19
and
………the end of the crisis with as little Possible harm done as possible.
Having laid out the general co-0rdinates, we cannot presume that we are moving in that direction. That is something we must plot. But already we have a principle to guide us a leader in terms anything we say or do.
We have to be clear that we are on the path to solving it, not ignoring it or on the path to allowing it to get worse, or even acting in such a way that we are hastening the catastrophic end. That means in all our actions, we must project that intentional direction, expecially when we have no quick answers, all that we decide to do must send the message that it is taking us one step closer to the solution. And even if we get lost, so long as we are lost in the right direction.
To get our bearings, we ask ourselves this question and use the space we are in to get up and reposition ourselves. If that far wall in your office represents the desired end, move to a spot that indicates How close? or how far? are we from that end goal?
You can try this for yourself. As I get up and move, the space that draws me is one a long way from that wall- you may find your feet take you to a different space bet think with your feet, not your head.
Once you are there, you will ask the space to speak to your question “How come this is where we showed up?” And let the space, not you ( avoid the “I” pronnoun) tell you- and what else and what else, and anything else?
Look at your space and if the far wall is the end, and the door is the beginning and the middle is the middle, then plot your position. Do you find yourself closer to the end or the beginning. For me, I am closer to the begnning than the end by a long shot so I will look at the 9 quadrant map and plot myself that I am at the middle of the beginning. In other words, as Churchill said to his nation, we are not at the end or the beginning of the end but maybe the end of the beginning. For me, that would be too far- We in our fight against the virus, it is more John Paul Jones, “We have hardly even begun to fight.”
If that is where we place ourselves or we are put in our place, then we can map what to expect ahead and develop a more informed rather than an infirmed strategy.
This whole process has put us on the map, which is what you usually do when you ask, Where are we? And someone comes with a map and points, “We are here.” X marks the spot.