Go West! Fish the Line … with Christine WestI once heard someone say, it is not as important in life to be strong as it is more important to feel strong. When we feel strong we end up believing in our ability to live from a place of courage. When we are courageous, we have strength and a power to overcome life’s obstacles to build our dreams and to reach our goals. Another piece of courage is to be able to recognize it in others and not to be threatened in any way. When are this free and courageous it easy to be grateful for mutual beneficial relationships, resources and give rightful credit. When we are blind and unaware, so many of us end up living and enjoy receiving the benefits of someone else’s courage, yet fail to recognize and acknowledge what it takes to Fish the Line…
When most of us think about networking and going to work, nearly everyone keeps a set range of hours to work and attend various networking events. For the most part, we work with our team or attend a function and go home to a private life. Many have adopted the attitude of “I don’t feel like doing this anymore” or “I feel sick so therefore I quit for the day” or “are we done yet”? One industry that these accepted behaviors cannot be allowed in is commercial fishing. The work of a commercial fisherman expands the boundaries of an ordinary workplace and networking formalities. The commercial fishing industry in the state of Alaska is known as one of the most dangerous occupations in the world with the highest fatal recordable safety incidences, yet the courageous still carry on. It is a lifestyle where long hard work, commitment and resourcefulness with an openness to give and receive help are mandatory characteristics to have for success in the trade.
These brave souls work and live in a culture that requires a true community of courageous teamwork where slackers, victims and complainers are not allowed. Everyone must carry their own weight, otherwise results may be deadly. Each deckhand lives on the boat and is ready to operate for long tedious hours in close-nit quarters with seas that can be flat to 40 foot or higher waves. Within this climate are only those individuals who are willing to face the unknown to achieve the reward of pulling a lavish profusion of fish out of the sea.
I was fortunate a few weeks ago to have an opportunity to interview my friend Bill who now returned from a five week commercial fishing experience in Bristol Bay, Alaska which intersects with the Bering Sea. I did receive the benefit of Bill’s courage from him giving me fresh red sockeye salmon fillets and fresh sea bass. This gift is such a deliciously because it is the gold of the sea and the heart of the commercial fisherman, along with the inspiration for this article.
In the Bristol Bay Region over 3 million fish are extracted from the sea over this five week fishing season. Many imperative business tasks need to be established prior to a commercial fishing crew setting direction to harvest fish. The end goal for the commercial fishing boat is to make money with the fish harvested from the sea. Sounds logical, right? The key in making money and surviving any mood Mother Nature dishes out is establishing a solid system of networking resources that work together in equal importance. Any break in the system can be detrimental for the involved.
This system is based on key relationships that depend upon one another to be unselfishly reliable. It is a system where facing and moving past conflicts quickly is vital. It is a system where communication along with asking for help and giving help is an absolute must. It is a system where arrogance, pride, I can do it myself or I refuse help because I don’t want to owe anyone attitude may cost you and others their life. Anyone who cannot work together or behaves individualistic or whines is not allowed in this culture. It is a system of true responsibility.
To be clear, a prideful individual tries to portray to others the belief that they are strong when in fact they are extremely weak. This fact is because they believe they can do it all themselves and they cannot think beyond themselves. In essence this individual becomes the weakest link and the highest liability in the system. These prideful individuals end up being the ones who carry the most depression, fear, worry, insecurity, anger and concerns themselves with the unimportant which leads to self-sabotage. They end up creating separation in the team and pushing people away. It doesn’t matter how skilled or educated this individual is; this person is still a dangerous risk because of the denial in the crucial skill in how to be a resourceful networker and a reliable team player. Grudges, hurt feelings, excess emotional and mental baggage need to be thrown over-board immediately. This is a place where being an effective leader and an effective follower is essential while knowing what role you play in the moment.
This solid system of networking resources consists of establishing a concrete working relationship with a Mother Ship, who is the fish process plant, who will purchase the harvested fish off the commercial fishing boat. The Mother Ship has contracts with tender boats who house supplies such as fuel, food, clean water, electrical, mechanical, and tools for purchase. Getting along with the tender boat crew can make you or break you. The tender boats have another interesting function. In order to provide fuel, they have relations with the Russians who have developed a market demand to act as Fuel Barges for the commercial seafood industry across the Bering Sea. All relationships need to be solid and trustworthy.
The culture on each boat consists of people who work together to ensure all permitting and licensing are legal, to manage the fishing lines, to repair any mechanical or electrical problem in the moment trouble occurs and to manage a network of relationships. All must be responsive and pay attention to each moment of now. This is down to hiring a cook who understands the food preparation process can either strengthen or weaken the crew.
It is also a must to establish relationships with sister boats. These sister boats are the competition yet they are part of survival if problems such as mechanical, power, fuel filters, etc., occur. You may need to ask for a tow. This does occur. Another relationship is with the coast guard, you may need to be saved if your boat hits blue water and you are sinking. If you are sinking it is a time where you better be able to move fast, be courageous, focus, dress in your survival suit quickly and start the EPIRB beacon. Help is your only way to survive this type of crisis and the grace of God.
One story Bill did share that sent the crew into a state of FEAR, was when their boat lost power and had a severe mechanical and a fuel filter problem. Mother Nature had her fun with hitting the boat with growlers. Growlers are rolling white waves and when they hit the boat it as through the sea is punching every human being hard and fast. It is very similar to a boxing match with a heavy weight boxer and feeling a constant concussion because of being punched so hard repeatedly over and over. They needed power and the ability to repair the boat in these conditions. It ended up after exhausting themselves they called upon one of the sister boats for a tow so the crew could make the necessary repairs on flat water.
Bill’s crew anchored themselves in low tide to fix power and other mechanical problems in which is a positive move. The mistake was they decided to rest too long in this shallow water and when they decided to continue toward deeper waters, Mother Nature had another treat in store for them. The winds were blowing about 50 – 60 mph. This is very dangerous in 20 feet of water because there is a disproportion in how a boat is designed to maneuver through a wave. So they were experiencing what is known as the green zone, which means the waves were hitting the windows hard and the boat had no recovery time for the next wave. These conditions are more dangerous than a 40ft wave in deep water because in deeper waters there is a balance and the boat functions naturally in its design. Green zone conditions are similar to being in a tornado or a major hail and ice storm. These waves could easily blow the windows out or put a hole in the boat.
In these examples, this was a time to work though the FEAR and the problems as a team. Their core foundation was tested when Mother Nature decided to punch them and they had no mechanical power to fight back with. In these times where FEAR set in, Bill’s crew illustrated their commitment to work as a team while paying attention to their circumstances. It was a time to communicate honestly, while being congruently aligned with their resources to receive help from their network to survive this journey. In these examples, the behaviors and decisions made resulted in building a dynamically resilient culture that overcame the stressors and turmoil Mother Nature dished out. And of course they made their fish quota too!!
Mother Nature favors no one and treats everyone the same. So therefore it is our responsibly to be the courageous resource that can recognize and admit to our own FEAR and distinguish between when we are a true help or a true hinder to those around us and of course to ourselves. This type of honesty takes courage and a true thorough introspection into the world of responsibility in which is essential for our very survival and advancement. In Courage there is an Authentic Power where anything is possible …
Genuinely,
Christine
Author: Christine M. West, TheBusinessMD, 2240 E. Tudor Rd. #976, Anchorage, Alaska, USA 99507. Phone 1-907-223-8403. Email: info@thebusinessmd.net, http://www.businessmd.net/ http://thebusinessmd.blogspot.com/ Christine West is an industrial organizational psychology practitioner and is in private practice as TheBusinessMD which helps organizations and individuals overcome fear and explore the power of change. Ms. West is also a Featured Columnist for the National Networker http://www.thenationalnetworker.com/
For more information, please visit Christine's TNNW Bio.
Published by THE NATIONAL NETWORKER Newsletter. All rights reserved. Subscribe Free - Click HERE.
The National Networker Companies
Forward/Share This Article With Colleagues And Social Media:
No comments:
Post a Comment