Bouncing back....
Lessons from my Achilles injury, that can apply to any bounce back…
I like to think of myself as an active person. I have accomplished a good deal of goals (summiting both Kilimanjaro and Mount Whitney, reaching Base Camp 1 on Everest, rim to rim of the Grand Canyon, etc), and its important to me that I stay strong and fit, and able to keep up with my kids… Regular training, kettlebells, Pilates and specifically running has been a part of my life for many years, and other than following the instructor at the front of class, I never really thought too much about what or how I was doing. I just got on with it. That is until recently when I developed an injury. An intersectional Achilles tendinopathy. I was faced with something I didn’t understand and ignoring it didn’t help – it didn’t go away. I could not run… even walking was painful. I needed to get help.
As I consult with specialists and follow their instructions, the pain is easing, and I am able to start doing more. The lessons I am learning from this situation can be easily applied to a good deal of situations, not least driving a commercial bounce back when the market has shifted somewhat.
Get professional help – faced with a situation I did not understand, I needed to find an expert to help guide me on my recovery. I listened, learned, read the guidance and learned some more. I am following instructions and I am evaluating my progress along the way. My Physio is amazing, and I am most certainly making more effective and efficient progress thanks to her specialist knowledge and support, but it’s my body and my recovery, so I want to learn as much as I can, to both speed up my recovery and to better equip me in making sure this doesn’t happen again.
When I work with clients on commercial turnarounds, one of my main goals is the development of confidence and capability in a client’s team. I want to impart my knowledge and experience in client teams, so they are stronger and more resilient after my engagement than before.
Slow & steady wins the race – I really am so mentally ready to lace up my trainers and hit the 10K loop right now, physically, however it is another story. I am realising the importance of collagen reserves in the Achilles, the need to steadily repeat my weighted heel lift exercises, set after set, and the need to take a rest day in between to allow the tendon to strengthen.
In business, its just as important to take a steady approach. To build gradually and to recognise the importance of a pause. Steady progress and continual evaluation of a turnaround allows teams to strengthen, visions to crystalize, opportunities to become apparent, and capability to evolve. It would do me no good at all to hit the trail this morning, I would be hobbling around for days after and do more harm than good, as tempting as it may be… The slow and steady approach builds strength and endurance for the long haul.
Eat the elephant in bite sized chunks – The next time I do get to lace up my trainers, I have been advised to start by following ‘Couch to 5k program’. Just a few weeks ago I ran a 10K PB. It’s galling to be so far behind. But having rested for weeks, I know whatever distance I do is going to hurt (in a good way, hopefully). Instead of aiming for my next PB, I need to take it one step at a time. Steadily adding distance before I even think about speed.
I worked with a client recently who had been tasked with opening a Direct-to-Consumer route to market, he immediately built a website, took ownership of the companies Facebook account, and launched the brands offering to consumers.
If he had looked at each piece of his task, he might have realised consumer markets need a level of customer service support that is quite different from what the organisation was set up for. That some (most) SKU’s were shipped in trade packs not singles, that there wasn’t a robust returns process in place for consumers. While focussing on the whole task, this client didn’t see some of the component parts, he was just looking at the whole. I prescribed then antacids and we broke the project down into workstreams, with each piece progressing nicely…
As I continue to plod along my recovery journey, jealously watching other runners from my window, I am trying to take the lessons. I can see the end of the tunnel, and every day I move a little closer toward it. The pace will fasten the further I go, but for now I am listening to the experts, making steady progress and building resilience and flexibility…