Mark Dickey is a talented caver with over twenty years of experience. He is so skilled that Dickey has been an instructor with the United States Cave Rescue Commission for over a decade. But on September 2nd, Dickey needed rescuing himself.
While mapping the Morca Cave in Turkey, he developed gastrointestinal bleeding .8 miles below ground. As told in this article, Dickey said, “I kept throwing up blood. Then my consciousness started to get harder to hold on to and I reached a point where I said, ‘I’m not going to live.'” As experienced and skilled as Dickey was, he was in over his head… way over his head.
So what do you do when you are in over your head? The following are seven lessons you need to know:
Even The Best Leaders At Some Point Or Another Find Themselves In Over Their Heads
At some point in every leader’s life, they will find themselves in over their head. Dickey is as good a caver as you can find and he even found himself in need of urgent help.
The reality is whether the leadership waters are a foot or 100 feet over your head, you are still in over head either way.
Promotions can cause you to be in over your head. So do things like market fluctuations, competitive challenges, or employee issues. Oftentimes, it is because of our own leadership mistakes.
Oftentimes, God will even put you in positions where you are in over your head because He hates self-sufficiency and wants you to rely on Him.
Regardless of the reason, leaders are frequently in over their heads.
Leaders Who Are In Over Their Heads Should Ask For Help
Prior to his rescue, Dickey said in a video message, “I’m not healed on the inside yet so I’m going to need a lot of help to get out of here.”
There is no time for pride or ego when you are in over your head. Dickey’s parents, Andy and Debbie, said, “Mark is strong and we believe in his strength, but fully knew that he was in dire need of tremendous and immediate support.”
Leaders Who Are In Over Their Heads Need An Immediate Response
As mentioned earlier, whether you are one or one-hundred feet under water, you will drown without immediately getting to the surface. Need and urgency are your current reality. Dickey noted, “I do know that the quick response of the Turkish government to get the medical supplies that I need, in my opinion, saved my life. I was very close to the edge.”
Leaders Who Are In Over Their Heads Need Help From Others
You may have gotten into your situation by yourself, but you are unlikely to get out of it by yourself. Over 150 people partnered together in one of the most complicated rescues in caving history. This group included the Turkish government, cavers from Croatia, Istanbul, and Hungary, as well as medical personnel.
Being Part Of A Tight-Knit Community Is A Benefit For Leaders Who Are In Over Their Heads
Andy and Debbie noted the “international caving community… made it possible for Mark to leave Morca cave and receive further medical treatment at a hospital facility”.
Ibrahim Olcu, a caver from Istanbul, said, “We are cavers before everything. A caver does not have a rescuer other than another caver, we saw that a little. To work in the rescue operation for another caver was very honourable, pleasing. I am experiencing this happiness.”
Specific Skills Are Required To Get Out From Being In Over Your Head
Smart leaders know you must assign skill to task to be successful. The rescue required explosives to clear narrow passageways. Medical personnel helped with blood transfusions and anesthesia.
Be Grateful When You Have Been Rescued From Being In Over Your Head
When you reach a point when you can literally and figuratively breath again, your response should be one of gratefulness. Multiple times throughout the article Dickey and those closest to him expressed their deepest thanks to everyone associated with his rescue.
You should as well.
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