Oops, I Meant to Go Left: Four Steps for Course Correction

Earlier this week, I was driving a group of volunteers for  an outreach event on behalf of the Portland Animal Welfare Team (PAW Team). This organization provides basic veterinary care to the pets of the homeless and those living in extreme poverty so that people and their animal companions can remain together during life's most difficult situations.

We had headed into downtown Portland, Oregon loaded up with pet food, leashes, and blankets to hand out to homeless pet owners. Like many city centers, with its alternating one way streets and bus only lanes, downtown can be confusing. To make things worse, I wasn't familiar with where our first stop was located.

One of the volunteers was acting as my navigator, reading out the directions as I tried to find street signs in time to make the correct turns. Just as she told me to turn left on Irving, I realized I had driven too far to make the turn. The street I was on was nice and wide. And not wanting to try to find the next street that was headed the direction I needed to go, I looked to see how much on coming traffic was headed my way. See all was clear, I made a quick u-turn and got us back on track.

Often during periods of change, we find ourselves trying to navigate unfamiliar territory. Sometimes we miss our turn. Other times we turn right when we needed to turn left. Regardless of how we get off track, we need to make that quick "U-ie" to get ourselves headed the direction we want to go.

So, how do you course correct when your not sure where you are?

Acknowledge the Wrong Turn

The first step is to acknowledge you are off course. Pretending we never made the wrong turn won't help us get back on track. In fact, it keeps us headed in the wrong direction. Without guilt, judgement and berating yourself, recognize, "Oops, I meant to go left."

Whatever the situation, whatever the mistake, taking the time to realize when you're off track puts you back in control of where you are headed.

Examine Your Hidden Intent

Sometimes when we take a wrong turn, there is a subconscious motivation behind it. Understanding it will allow you to minimize the chance of a repeat of the same mistake.

For me, one area I often have "wrong turns" around is my attendance at networking events. In large groups of people I don't know, I often find myself feeling awkward and uncomfortable. My tongue gets tied in so many knots I struggle to connect and communicate coherently. I find ways to sabotage myself. Understanding this has helped me realize what actions I need to take to be able to be successful in this important activity.

Map out Your Course Correction

Have you ever missed a turn when you're using a GPS navigator?

That electronic voice suddenly comes on saying, "Rerouting." And then you wait for the new directions. Well, now it is your turn. You are the navigator. Map out your correction into a step-by-step plan.

When it comes to my attendance at networking events, my challenges were a symptom of the real issues. I had to start by dealing with the why behind my attendance challenges. I started by practicing my elevator speech in settings where I felt safe - with friends, in the hair stylist's chair. As I became more comfortable with that, I branched out. I also took time to work with a professional consultant to help me feel more confident in speaking from my heart.

Make the U-turn

Once you have the plan to get back on track, it's time to start taking action. Start working each step of your "rerouted" plan.

I had to do all the work I outlined in my plan. This past week, I went to a networking event. I put into practice the lessons I learned within my comfort zone. I was amazed at the results. I was back on track!