Murphy's Laws of Leadership
"If your advance is going well, you are walking into an ambush." Murphy's Laws of Combat
Allow me to steal from the infamous "Murphy's Law." Murphy's general premise, "if it can go wrong, it will go wrong," is the heart of his philosophy. We used this phrase and several Murphy's Law adages frequently, especially in an after action review where our mistakes were glaringly obvious. Edward A. Murphy was an aerospace engineer who served in the Army and Air Force. His 'law' gained fame during a series of failed tests on rockets in the mid 1940's. Read more here if you wish. I clearly remember this philosophy encapsulated in the hilarious (and true) list called, "Murphy's Laws of Combat." Besides Combat, there are Murphy's laws of Technology, Love, and Sex. Find them here.
Murphy entered my life yet again as I was rehearsing for an exposition this week. I was with a group of folks who had a role which required them to enter the event venue through a set of double doors in a file. As we walked through the steps, Murphy returned. "Will the doors be unlocked?" "How will the doors remain secured as the group walks through them?" The list went on and, while my return to Murphy's law was humorous, it reminded me of the importance of a walk-through rehearsal.
It is the smallest things which can lead to failure. Will the brick which holds the door open be present on the day of the event? Will there be a trash can for the garbage which will accumulate at the networking event? Has anyone checked the weather? What time zone will group A be in when we conduct the brief? For our Murphy's Laws of Leadership you can simply take Murphy's Laws of Combat and replace words like rifle with computer or enemy with competition. Have fun with it but heed its lessons!
Here are a few of my favorites from Murphy's Laws of Combat.
"Friendly fire isn't."
"The easy way is always mined."
"Never share a foxhole with anyone braver than yourself."
"Always remember, your weapon was made by the lowest bidder."
Do your rehearsals. Leave no stone unturned. Pay attention to the small stuff. Enjoy your weekend.
Make it Personal!
Rob
Rob Campbell