LLML NUMBER 4
In the time that I have spent mowing the lawn, many things have gone right. In the time that I have spent mowing the lawn, many things have gone wrong. Here is the short list of the things that have gone wrong:
- Wheel fell off.
- Suffered a laceration from trying to free a blade.
- Brand new mower defective out of the box.
- Handle assembly disengaged.
- Wheel cracked.
- Broke a blade.
- Mower threw a rock at me.
- Overfilled the oil.
- Hit a hunk of metal and bent the shaft, destroying the engine.
- Axle broke.
- Throttle cable disconnected.
Things have gone wrong while I was mowing the lawn. Isn’t that true of leadership? Things do go wrong. LLML (Leadership Lessons from Mowing the Lawn) Number 4 is an obvious yet important reminder:
No one is immune to Murphy’s Law.
As leaders, we can sometimes optimistically believe that we are immune to Murphy’s Law. Unfortunately, given enough time, we learn that we are mistaken. Therefore, the best approach we can take is prepare for the unexpected, have backup plans, and be flexible. Eventually, things will go wrong and that is precisely when you will be glad that you prepared for the unexpected, had backup plans, and chose to be flexible. LLML Number 4:
No one is immune to Murphy’s Law.
