Anchors and Buoys – Helping Teams Navigate Choppy Water and Stay Afloat!

In a recent coaching conversation with a senior leader in healthcare, my client identified a goal of wanting to help her team stay “afloat” during another surge of the pandemic.  They were struggling to balance their day-to-day tasks with the list of strategic items released after the backlog of the past 15 months.

We held the coaching session while she was on vacation at her lake house.  She was on her deck watching boats and other crafts ride by on the water.   She suddenly latched on to the metaphor of anchors and buoys:

Anchors—what are the items that are dragging the team down and keeping them in place?

Buoys—What can a leader do to help the team float, rise to the surface, and see across the surface of the water?

In times of uncertainty, chaos, or stress, teams naturally come together to achieve a common outcome; this has been most evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaders and teams drop anchor on these emergent issues to move toward viable solutions.

As they stay anchored, the water continues to flow and swirl around them, pulling and tugging on their energy and resilience.

To rebuild and manage energy, leaders need to help themselves and their team find their buoys.  What kinds of interactions and activities can help the team float to the surface, not only to see a broader perspective, but to be able to rest, relax, and renew their energy?

A leader can ask themselves:

• What do I and my team need to create rest and rejuvenation? Do we need time just to talk with each other and connect? Are there celebrations we need to have?
• How can we be sure each of us has time fully away from work?
• What do we need so that any of us can more effectively negotiate our work and personal lives?
• What are the important issues we need to fully anchor down on and what can we let go of?

It is only from their buoy that leaders and teams can make informed decisions about where they may need to remain anchored, and where they can let go and rise to the surface.

If you are struggling with your anchors and buoys and feel like you need a thought partner to help you in this process, please contact us for a consultation. Kaochee is here to help.   

You grow your business, let Koachee grow your leaders!

Written By Cory Colton.