And Along Came Pretty Little May

A famous lyric from Oscar Hammerstein’s “Carousel,” “June Is Bustin’ Out All Over” seems ironic on this 30th day of May:

March went out like a lion
A-whippin’ up the water in the bay.
Then April cried and stepped aside,
And along came pretty little May!

The month of May, 2015 will soon be a memory but it will not be remembered as “pretty” or “little.” What a historic month of weather challenges nationwide and especially for Oklahoma! The first week of May announced winter storm Venus, tropical storm Ana and too many tornadoes to count in the Midwest as well as feeling warmer than normal temps on the east coast – 81° in Boston on May 9. As of May 25, the Oklahoma statewide average for May stood at 12.29″ of rainfall, which is 8.61″ above normal.

My husband, Ron, and I had our share of troubles as water flooded in through our back door on too many days in May over a period of two weeks. We also sat in the dark two nights in a row — no power — severe weather even canceled the University of Oklahoma 2015 commencement services. At 6:30 pm on a couple of nights it was so dark outside it looked like 10 pm. And, the tornado alerts just kept coming.

What do you do under unexpected situations like this that can cause extreme pressure? Being married to a Renaissance man — an Air Force Academy graduate, former rancher and high time pilot (over 13,000 hours) has its benefits. His consistent message to me, since we’ve been married is, “always keep your head in the game” and “no whining allowed.” So, in emergency situations he is alert, situationally aware and has taught me how important it is to stay cool under pressure, be mentally alert, communicate with clarity, keep my nerves at bay and keep the end game in mind.

As leaders, we are in “safe” situations most of the time but perilous events can occur at any time — the roads you once traveled may now be closed. What’s your auto response? Who do you turn to? I encourage you to look for and thank those around you who rise to the occasion to lead, innovate and “keep their head in the game.” There’s no whining allowed when the water rises and the inevitable threatens to flood your plans.

Action and quick action is the key. So, what did we do? Ron called a friend, Fernando, and together they dug a 20 foot trench to channel the water coming in through our back door; Ron connected a generator to make sure our essentials were running in the house and he rewired the electrical panel in the bathroom that blew out. He took swift, no-nonsense action.

Will you be caught in the winds of desperation, whining and wondering what to do when roads close in your life? When the unexpected happens, will you run toward the trouble rather than away from it? Will you step into your rightful place and lead? Get your head in the game, starting today. It’s never too late to improve your mental toughness so that you’re ready for your next detour.