On July 1988, an
oil rig exploded off the coast of Scotland, which tragically killed over 160 workers.
Andy Mochan, a survivor from the accident chose to jump fifteen stories into
water to avoid the blaze, quoting “it was either jump of fry”. Daryl Conner
uses Mochan’s quote as a metaphor to the burning platform: which he defines as
the commitment to sustain a change (Conner, 2012). Rather than suffering and
dealing with a change when it happens, Conner believes that ones can “pay less”
by supporting the change (Galoppin, 2011). The whole concept of the burning
platform help leaders understand the different outcomes between being reactive
versus being proactive. According to Fisher, leaders should avoid being
reactive since it increases stress, reduces effective decision-making, and can
lead to a sense of powerlessness. Instead, a good leader should stay proactive since it
relieves stress, prepares and establishes better understanding, and promote
control and direction of the change (Fisher, n.d.).
While
I never really thought of it before, I happen to consider the burning platform
concept every day. As of today, I am only one year into the “working adult life”,
and everything seems to be in order. I managed to land a full time job, move
out of my parent’s household, and is currently pursuing a master’s degree. While
I currently have everything I want, it is always important for me to avoid
getting too comfortable, and be aware of the potential risks that may occur. Of
all the things I’m going through at the moment, I am very cautious about my position
as an academic adviser.
Academics
is one of few organizations that faces constant changes. We apply new
technologies to improve our services, introduce and revise degree programs, and
make changes to stand out from our competitors. Today, many universities including
the one I work at is starting to focus more towards online courses. Students
are finding online courses to be flexible and convenient than traditional classroom
courses. Because of this, many physical campuses including mine are facing a
deficit in both participation of in-seat courses and overall office visits.
Although
my university hasn’t announced any dramatic changes to resolve this issue, I
think of “possible” changes the university might make. For instance, I often
feel like the university might completely get rid of in-seat courses someday
which can either lead to one of two possible changes. One possible change might
be the university transforming all physical campuses into a service center
where students can receive advisement and other needs. For this case, I overall
believe that this won’t have too huge of an impact since we simply lose the task
of setting up and hosting in-seat courses. However, since we don’t get that
many office visits, the university might only need a campus director to run a
campus: which could lead me to lose my job since I’m currently an assistant.
If
I were to lose my job due to having no need of an assistant campus director,
the situation will be like the second possible change, where the university
decides to close all physical campuses. Losing my job would be a serious issue
since this will impact my goal of getting a master’s degree and living alone in
general. Rather than taking action after the change happens, I am proactive and
brainstorm a few ideas before the change. Saving income is one thing, however I
also try to make and maintain connections with people from organizations close
to my university. My campus for example consists of many students from the Boeing Company. While
establishing a relationship helps with advisement purposes, doing so might even
help me land a job at their company. By landing a new job, this can save me
from losing my current home, and I can continue to pursue a master’s degree.
References:
Conner,
D. (2012). The Real Story of the Burning Platform. Retrieved from http://www.connerpartners.com/frameworks-and-processes/the-real-story-of-the-burning-platform
Fisher,
C. (n.d.). Being Proactive Vs. Reactive. Retrieved from http://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/being-proactive-vs-reactive-10356.html
Galoppin,
L. (2011). The Giant Misunderstanding on Burning Platforms. Retrieved from http://www.reply-mc.com/2011/01/17/the-giant-misunderstanding-on-burning-platforms/
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