What will you do?

A friend of mine, Robert Masters, recently posted an interesting question to me that I'd like to share and discuss with you.

If you were the only person in a remote tribe of 1000 that knew a tsunami was going to hit your village in 5 minutes, what would you do?

You can't save everybody. Who would you save? What guides your action?

Worse case is that you all get wiped out.  The best case is that, somehow, your tribe survives even though many will die.  What must you do to ensure that best case?

This is a fictitious yet relevant scenario to consider for leaders who, today, face a world of fundamental political, health, social, economic, and environmental breakdown.

-Steve

Comments

[Ken Homer]

Steve,

I like the spirit of this question, though I find the five minute aspect constrains my ability to answer... The brevity of that time span introduces a stark choice which will leave survivors rather ill prepared to face the world since it is doubtful they'd be able to do more than flee with the clothes on their backs, leaving them stranded in the wilderness with very little resources to continue their existence.

Also it seems to me, that with only five minutes to act many people are doomed, for even if you happend to be a leader to whom members of the tribe would obey unquestioningly any command you issue, there is the challenge of getting the word out to 1000 people which would take some or perhaps all of your precious time. And even if that were not an obstacle and everyone got the word instantanously, all would be left in a precarious position with little to ensure their survival once the immediate danger had passed.

I point these out not to invalidate the question but to note the constraints that arise (at least in my mind ) when engaging it. I imagine that in posing the question you are seeking to stimulate creative responses, yet the time frame in the question seems to dampen the kind of creative responses you are seeking.

So I would respectfully suggest that you consider changing the time span to three days (or at least 24 hours) which I believe would allow a much greater range of possibilities to emerge.

Take care,

Ken

[Steve]

Ken,

Yes, I mean to propose a situation in which our creativity might well be constrained and as a result we get thrown into disempowering moods. How, as leaders, can we respond in an authentic and skillful way - even in these dire circumstances.

In this scenario, many people are doomed. How do we find a way to act to help and save those we can without being paralyzed by the tragedy of loss?

Thanks for your comments. You are helping me get clearer on why this question was so provocative for me.

Take care,

-Steve