You are likely familiar with this picture and the story.

To recap, On March 23rd, the Ever Given, a golden-class container ship, measuring over 1,300’ in length, and nearly 13 stories tall got lodged in the Suez Canal for six days. The blockage created a backup of 422 ships on either side of the canal, leading to billions of dollars in business losses.

The reason? Seasonal, hazardous wind gusts of more than 40mph pushed the ship off course and into the bank of the canal. Interestingly, one other large ship decided against navigating the canal that day because of the high winds. Two other smaller vessels made a successful passage with the assistance of tugboats.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a similar effect on many businesses. Some breezed through. Others got temporarily stuck. Some did not survive. Like the ships venturing into the Suez Canal that day, business owners and leaders had few options to respond with once hit by COVID. How did your organization fare?

Being stuck and in a leadership role is no picnic. Your team is looking to you for the vision and the pathway out of your current situation. What are your next steps? How confident are you that you and your team can navigate them?

Like the two smaller vessels, put your business back on course by getting the support you need.

Photo Credit: Reuters