What can an 80’s power ballad teach us about navigating uncertainty?
True confession: I prefer Frozen 2 to Frozen 1. Olaf steals the show and I LOVE the music. I happily play the songs whenever requested and (another true confession) listen to the music when I am alone in the car. It turns out that while I have listened to the music and seen the movie numerous times, I do not know the words as well as my child. I was singing “lost in the world”, as my kid adamantly corrected me that it was “lost in the woods”. We joked about who was right and she challenged me to look it up on my phone… because kids today know that Google can end these debates.
For those that do not know Frozen 2 and where “Lost in the Woods” fits, Kristoff has been with his love, Anna, who has left to find and support her sister, Elsa while he was goofing off with his reindeer, Sven. (I promise I am not providing any spoilers). A spectacular 80’s power ballad follows as he works through his challenge of being away from Anna and the uncertainty of the future of their relationship. I’ll leave the story line there and reinforce for those that have not seen the movie that there is an epic 80’s hair ballad music video scene at this point.
Sure enough, it is “lost in the woods” not world. I decided that it was not the right time to start an existential debate with my 4-year-old about being lost in the woods also being lost in the world. However, as I reviewed the lyrics, it got me thinking about uncertainty and how I respond to uncertainty. As a business owner, it happens regularly that we are navigating uncertainty. “Lost in the woods” is a great metaphor for that daily struggle and many of the lyrics really sung to me about dealing with the unknown.
“You’re gone, off on a different path than mine/ I’m left behind, wondering if I should follow”
The competition unexpectedly goes in a direction you had not been anticipating, targeting a new audience, or adding new features or payment plans. Should you follow that course? Can you catch up and re-take the lead? So many questions come up every time something you had built your plan around changes. Whether it is the competition, your customers selecting different products or features, or long-term team members transitioning, uncertainty lurks around every corner.
When you are not sure if you should follow, stay your course, or find an entirely new path, return to your roadmap. Your roadmap provides the step by step for achieving your vision of the business. Will shifting your actions or changing your near- or long-term goals still support those you are targeting to help and align with the purpose of your business? Having documented your vision, purpose, targets, and goals will allow you to assess if the changes you are considering are worth pursuing.
“Up till now the next step was a question of how/ I never thought it was a question of whether”
You have goals that you intend to achieve. You likely have a plan for how you are going to achieve those goals. You are confident you can accomplish what needs to be done. Until suddenly something changes, and you start to question whether your goals are achievable.
Revisiting your near-term goals and future state that you have outlined on your roadmap will remind you what you are working towards. If the environment has shifted such that you are no longer able to achieve the near-term goals but still want to get to the same destination in 3 – 5 years, revise the near-term goals to align with the new reality. Then ensure your step-by-step plan for each quarter will move you closer to those goals. When you are focused on taking steps to get closer to your desired future state and achieving your purpose and vision, you will be able to focus on the questions of how.
“But I’ll wait for a sign that I’m on your path”
I am all for seeing signs, but when it comes to running your business, I would recommend leaving the sign waiting for Kristoff. Data is typically a better decision-making tool than omens. When you feel uncertain with how to proceed in your business, re-evaluating the data you have, and reviewing external data points is a more practical approach.
“Until then, I’m lost in the woods / I’m lost in the woods”
Admitting you are lost is the first step to getting back on course. Your roadmap is a strong tool for determining the re-route you need to take to continue making forward progress.
When you feel lost, return to your roadmap. Remind yourself of your purpose and vision. Affirm your values and the role they are playing in your decisions. As you evaluate new data and external factors that may force you on new paths, the foundation of your business should remain. Of course, if you feel so lost and your why no longer resonates, then “let it go” and start with a fresh page for your roadmap. And no, I will not go into all the ways “Let it go” from Frozen 1 aligns with business owners. I will save that for another article on leading a team.