Sunday was the 2007 Chicago marathon, and it was a dangerously hot day. The temperature was 70 degrees at the start, and in the mid-to high 80's, with humidity, by mid-day. 26.2 miles in the heat! Did I run? No, 26.2 feet would be a challenge these days. I never ran a marathon under such extreme conditions, although I came close. I ran the marathon in 1979, as an insane 13 year old. That year, the mercury topped off at 84 degrees, and I remember the challenges those conditions presented marathon pace chart .
Many marathoners were probably eating their pasta Saturday night, laying out their clothes, and worrying plenty about the race conditions. What would you have done? Would you have backed off your original racing plans or run as fast as you expected to run before they announced the weather? Would you have observed the conditions and adjusted your plans accordingly? I know what I would have done, and suffice to say, it's probably good I wasn't running!
Those runners with flexible personalities probably changed their plans and aimed to simply survive the elements. Hopefully, most runners adjusted their plans by drinking plenty of fluids and re-figuring their pace charts. Maybe, some runners decided to skip the race which wouldn't have been a bad idea! The inflexible runners, those who maintained their original plans, probably had a brutally tough day!
Is being flexible important in business? You bet it is! There is no script in business -- or life for that matter. Most things don't go according to plan. Customers throw curve balls; so do venders and associates. We know Mother Nature spiced things up for the marathoners. Some runners may have succeeded in those conditions, but those few were probably the exceptions. I imagine the absolutely rigid didn't fare so well.
Be flexible(in life and business) and go with the flow. Be adaptable. Welcome change as an opportunity, not a threat. Keep a positive mental attitude. Learn how to frame decisions properly. Gather intelligence. Learn from your experiences. Celebrate your successes and find fun in your failures. Admit your mistakes and learn from them.
With all the talk about Sunday's marathon, I am reminded of the race I ran in 1989 under warm conditions. It was nowhere near as warm (or humid) as Sunday's weather, but was still a warm day for October. As an over-confident 23-year old, I ignored the experts when they cautioned runners to modify their pace when the conditions weren't quite right. I went out way to fast. By 6 miles I was feeling the heat. It would be a very short day due to my inability to be flexible and to adapt to the circumstances.
Many of my friends survived the middle miles and crossed the finish line on Sunday! It may have been simple to make it though the early stages of the race, but certainly wasn't easy to complete the whole distance. What about you? Are you flexible? I am; I once told my wife we could either have pizza for dinner or pizza for dinner. I gave two choices. I was showing flexibility.