Leadership Tip: The Simplest Cure for getting out of a Rut

Leadership Tip: The Simplest Cure for getting out of a Rut.

Occasionally everyone gets into a rut. A rut is a "habit or pattern that has become dull and unproductive but is hard to change." There is nothing wrong with being in a rut. Being in a rut is actually a good thing. A very good thing come to think of it.

It is a good thing in that you have to slow down and re-evaluate what you were doing to get into that rut or slump in the first place. Then you can begin working to find a solution to get you out of that rut. Once determined, you take action to make that solution a reality.

So what is the cure?

The cure is to SLOW DOWN.

Easier said than done! I know. However, I truly know no other way to get out of the rut than to slow down and work your way out of it.

One of my duty stations in the US Army was with the 197th Infantry Brigade (M) (S). The M stands for Mechanized and that meant we used Armored Personnel Carriers (APC) to move from Point A to Point B. For about six months, I was a driver of an M113 APC. That meant that I was the guy in the driver’s seat while the rest of my Infantry squad sat in the back of the APC. It was very cool driving a 13-ton APC through the South Georgia woods at Fort Benning.

When we deployed to the field, we would drive down the tank trails to get to our staging areas. On those trails there would be posted signs that read, “Don’t Track Your Buddy”

All you had to do is look down to understand what was going on. The vehicle tracks start cutting into the ground and at one point you are scraping the center underside of the vehicle against the ground (that which the tracks have not eroded).

Ruts In the Road (for this post please replace the grass with mud & the dirt with deeper mushy mud)

During most vehicle convoys, all the vehicles will come to a complete standstill, most of the time without any reason. If you find yourself tracking your buddy, you and your vehicle do not want to stop in one of those ruts. Especially, if those ruts are muddy because when the convoy starts up again you and your APC are going to sit there spinning your tracks. The vehicle’s underside is resting on the “elevated” ground and both sets of tracks are moving nothing but mud. Here is where the slowing down and working the problem comes into play.

The truth is there is not a quick and clean solution to getting a 13-ton M113 APC out of the muddy ruts. It will be a time consuming and muddy affair but it can be done.

The same applies in business and in life. As a leader, you are allowed to get into a rut. It is only human nature to fall into those ruts. However, as a leader you are expected to get yourself out from the ruts as soon as possible but do not be hasty in getting out.

If you do not think it through and try to work the problem you may find yourself right back in those ruts. Going for the quick fix is not the answer. Take your time, you worked long and hard to get to where you are now. Naturally, it will take time to get back on track.

Once back on track, remember to stay cognitive of the fact that it will happen. You are human after all.

A special notice to those Leaders that know someone that has fallen into that rut. Show them some empathy but do NOT attempt to pull them out of that rut by yourself. Let them know you are there to help but they have to get out of it by themselves. Otherwise, they will fall into that rut the first chance they get. However, this time they will blame you and they will have every right to do so.

One last time: Get all the data you need about the rut you are in. Take your time developing a plan of action. Act on the plan. Adjust accordingly. Get out of that rut!

Thank you,
David Guerra

P.S. I never got stuck in the muddy road ruts. Now getting my 13-ton vehicle at a 45° incline is a different story for a different time.


I invite you to follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra • visit my website: www.daveguerra.com


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