Let's start with a story. It’s a popular one about putting a shark in our tank!
The Japanese always loved fresh fish, but the water close to Japan has not held any fish for decades. So, to feed people, fishing boats got bigger and went farther than ever. The farther the fishermen went, the longer it took to bring the fish, if the return trip took more time, the fish were not fresh. To solve this problem, fish companies installed freezers on their boats. However, the Japanese could taste the difference between fresh and frozen fish. Plus, the frozen fish brought a lower price, so fishing companies installed fish tanks.
They would catch the fish and stuff them in the tanks fin to fin. After a little thrashing around, they were tired, dull and lost their fresh fish taste. Again! The fishing industry faced an impending crisis. So, what did they do?
They put the fish in the tanks but with a small shark in it. This meant that the fish remained active since they were challenged. Hence, they remained constantly on the move. The shark did eat a few on the way but as whole, it moved the fish out of their comfort zone.
In our lives, sharks are new challenges to keep us active. If you are steadily facing and conquering challenges, know that your challenges keep you energized. Don't create success and revel in it in a state of inertia. As a person in a team, you have the resources, skills and abilities to make a difference. As leaders & managers, our responsibility is to put a shark in our own tank before we can expect this from others.
Put a shark [take up a challenge and step out of your comfort zone] in your tank and see how far you can really go.