A Beautiful Hike
In July 2013, Matt Dyer was hiking with a group of friends in Canada’s Torngat Mountains National Park in Newfoundland and Labrador. Matt felt lucky as one afternoon his party was fortunate enough to see a polar bear about 150 yards away in the wild, or so he thought.
An Unwelcome Guest
As told to Emma Veidt in the January/February 2022 edition of Backpacker Magazine, the bear simply watched the hikers for several hours. Concern was starting to build. As they prepared for bedtime, their guides setup an electric fence around camp for protection.
Skeptical about the fence’s ability to keep out a polar bear, they were assured that even though it ran on only two Double D batteries, it generated enough power to deter any bears from approaching camp. Even though he was anxious, Dyer fell asleep.
At 2:30 AM, he was awoken by movement outside his tent. As Dyer looked up, he saw a giant shadow in the shape of a bear hovering above his tent. Dyer then screamed as the bear pounced down on top of him. It was then his worst fears became reality.
A Sudden Attack
Dyer’s head was literally in the bear’s jaws. Holding him by head, the bear began to drag Dyer’s helpless body away from the campsite. Feeling his skull being crushed, Dyer began to think he was going to die.
Suddenly, the polar bear was shot by a fellow hiker’s flare gun causing it to release Dyer. After initially scampering away, the bear started to return and finish him off. Fortunately, the bear was shot again stopping a subsequent attack.
Because the electric fence was destroyed, Dyer’s fellow hikers stood guard with their flare guns for the next eight hours until a rescue helicopter arrived.
Though Dyer had a cracked jaw, several cracked vertebrae, multiple gashes, a punctured lung, and a busted larynx among other injuries, he was alive.
The Leadership Lesson
Whatever you are facing this week, however big or small it may be, your level or expectation will determine your level of preparation.
Similar to the story told above, many of us are approaching polar bear problems with two Double D batteries preparation. We think major problems are going to be solved with the slightest of resources. And we will ultimately experience the consequences.
This week someone reading this post has an important meeting, athletic competition, sales presentation, class, or family event. You know you’re not ready for it. You’ve been putting off the preparation because it is unpleasant or requires significant heavy lifting. However, this is level of preparation is the price needed for success. Failure to pay that price has dire consequences.
The guides for Matt Dyer and his fellow hikers did not expect the polar bear to be so strong and determined. As a result, their level of expectation consisted of an electric fence powered by two Double D batteries. It almost cost Dyer his life.
Likewise, if your level of preparation is not at a satisfactory level, your expectation of the results should be for something unsatisfactory as well.
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