Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable
by Pete Ramsey, Guest Blogger, President, Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council
March Madness for me isn’t about basketball. It is the NCAA Wrestling Championships. This year Cael Sanderson, Penn State head coach explained in a press conference how they repeatedly train to recover and scramble out of bad situations. It happens in wrestling all the time. It kind of defines the sport. There’s someone right in front of you with the single-minded goal of putting you in a bad situation. Sanderson feels the more you are willing to operate outside your comfort zone, the more adaptable you become.
The American Military has the same approach. They refer to these situations as VUCA environments. Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous. These situations are destined for negative outcomes if we are not prepared. I am not suggesting that careers in the turf industry come remotely close to military service. But there is a lot we can learn from people who are successfully operating at extreme levels. Turf at a tenth of an inch or working in professional sports is an extreme. There is still significant stress that comes with careers in this industry. Chief cause being the weather. Add some unrealistic expectations, lack of funding, politics and unique personalities to the mix and out comes a stressed out turf manager. We have all been there. Did you ever notice the people who are really there for you when you’re down is your family or your closest peers?
The best information and support I have ever received has come from interaction with my peers. Sometimes at seminars or often outside of work. There will never be a replacement for face to face exchange of information and fellowship. Taking to Twitter doesn’t solve everything. Avoiding the uncomfortable only results in it never going away and our inability to deal with it. Chances are a colleague has successfully navigated situations you are struggling with. Sanderson cited a few specific keys to Penn State’s success that we can apply to our careers:1. Fundamentals - you can never get away from them. It’s amazing how quickly things can go wrong when we stray from the fundamentals we know.
2. Evolution – Our industry is going to change whether we like it or not. Expose yourself to the cutting edge of what is new and consider if it can improve your performance.
3. Weakness –Stop avoiding the areas you are most uncomfortable. Your spouse can help you identify them. Failure is an opportunity. Avoiding it is tragic.
4 Perspective – Alter your perspective. Stepping outside your comfort zone will force you to look at your situation differently. Volunteer work is a fast-acting prescription for looking at things differently.