The Plan To Use When It All Fails
What Rebel Ridges teaches us about Whooping-ass.
I recently watched the newish (September 6, 2024) movie Rebel Ridge on Netflix.
“A former Marine confronts corruption in a small town when local law enforcement unjustly seizes the bag of cash he needs to post his cousin's bail.”
With a description like this, you already know this is going to be action packed and full of guns and fighting.
But what surprised me the most was a scene in the movie when the protagonist, Terry Richmond (played by Aaron Pierre) shares not only a military tactic I’ve heard during my time in the service but also something that sparked and idea I want to share with you.
Have you ever been in a situation at work where you show up to do something, you’ve panned this thing for a long time and then when you think its going to be all good to go, it falls apart?
Of course, you have. We all have.
Well, most of us mortals.
The fact of the matter is that in business, life, work, and even in this marine’s life we’ll face moments that truly break us apart and challenge every aspect of who we are.
But in the film, after he gets mixed in with some corrupt cops, and loses $36,000 of his own money he intends to use to bail out his cousin, we don’t just see what happens when people we shouldn’t have power get power but also when a marine is pushed to his limits and decides to unload a whole can of whoop-ass.
Sucks for them.
Back to the message here.
He shares with the Chief of Police the very strategy he intends to use to beat him and his goons (yup, goons) up.
It’s called P.A.C.E.
Primary:
Every goal needs a plan to make it a reality. Every task needs a process by which we get there. That’s what we call our primary plan. After you have all the facts and information you need, you make a plan that becomes the first one you use after the “action” begins.
Alternate:
Every plan needs a sidekick. That’s all the alternate plan is. A plan you develop for when things go too crazy they can’t be solved with the original plan. You never know when the first plan will just fall apart, like in the movie.
Contingency:
Sometimes crazy things like natural disasters happen and we can’t plan or prepare for them…kind of. But what we can do is build up the resources we need to be ready to move expediently and make quick powerful and impactful decisions.
Emergency:
Now, what if everything else fails? The main plan, the second plan, the third, and now you’re faced with the craziest, most demanding situation and all you can do is react. This is why training during sunny days is important. When the rainy days come, you know what to do automatically, like muscle memory. That’s your emergency plan.
Each of these plans have a place in the toolkit of a leader but the only way it will work is if we do something about it. We can’t just sit there and wait for things to happen to build a plan because that’s not going to help anybody. Not you. Not me. Not your people. Not your business.
I understand, however, there’s a hesitancy in developing plans too far ahead of schedule because let’s face it we won’t know what’s going to hit the fan until it does. In Rebel Ridge, though we see that this guy has four ideas of what he wants to do, and starts to plan it from the minute things go sideways. He doesn’t wait until his back is against a corner, he prepares beforehand because he knows eventually his back will be up against a corner.
Whatever it is that you should be doing with your team, whether it’s planning the budget for next year, make sure you add a second third, and fourth plan. If it’s a new hiring process, create four ways to make it happen. If you’re designing a new plan for a building then come up with four ways to do it based on four budget levels.
Get the point?
Never go into it with one plan, because life, business, and other people don’t care about your ONE PLAN.
Create four plans, and set your P.A.C.E.
A funny, for you.
1 - Delicious meal from Maureen’s Kitchen. The corned beef hash, chicken cutlet sandwich, with Russian sauce, and potato salad were fire. Also…croissant french toast. I mean come on! If you’re on Long Island, NY looking for good brunch. GO HERE!
Asked the server for a quick picture using my Camp Snap camera, and this is what happened lol.
2 - Watched Transformers One. 👌 👍 ✅ Great family flick.
1 - Discover Your Leadership Voice with this free assessment!
2 - Shouting out Logan Nagle this week for being such an inspiring Young Entrepreneur and Chair of the Young Professionals Network in Calvert County, Maryland.
Question For The Comments: How do you tackle problems at work or in life after your plans explode?