“Shark attack! Shark attack!”

I was yelling it with all my might. I could see what was going to happen and I needed to help Robert see it too. Everything would change in an instant if he heard me and did what he needed to do. His future depended on what he did, right here and right now.

Let me back up for a minute. I used to coach Olympic style wrestling many years ago – in fact, three decades ago. I taught all my wrestlers a principle I called “Shark Attack”. You see, there comes a point in a shark’s hunt for food when it tastes blood. When that happens the shark goes into a feeding frenzy and nothing will stop it from getting the prey  it’s pursuing.  It is wholeheartedly committed to accomplishing it’s objective.

Likewise in wrestling: there comes a split second in every wrestling match when the match is won or lost. You can pin your opponent, or your opponent can pin you – in a fraction of a second.   In Olympic style wrestling you pin your opponent by momentarily holding both his shoulders to the mat. No three count is necessary like you may have seen in pro wrestling.

A wrestler has to be able to see that moment and then give himself to victory with the same wholehearted passion and commitment that a shark attacks its prey. My principle of Shark Attack was meant to instill in my wrestlers the ability to recognize the fraction of a second when victory could be theirs, and then pursue it with complete and utter wholeheartedness. It was in this scenario that Robert now found himself.

Robert was being beaten very badly. He was down nine points and was in the process of being pinned by his opponent. He was fighting very hard not to be pinned, but it wasn’t looking very good. Robert couldn’t last long in this position. If something didn’t change soon, the match would be over and he would be beaten.

However, something began to change…

In his opponent’s zeal to pin Robert, he had moved his weight too far over and if Robert was able to lock his opponent’s head and roll, he would roll his opponent over and pin him. I saw Robert’s chance for victory. I yelled to him,

“His weight is too far over, lock his head and roll – Shark attack! Shark attack!”.

Robert saw his opportunity to seize victory. In a split second he attacked like a ferocious shark, rolled his opponent and pinned him. He won. He overcame his opponent even though he was being badly beaten. He saw he chance for victory and seized it.

Likewise as leaders, we need to wholeheartedly seize opportunities when they present themselves. A good leader is able to see opportunity and take advantage of it. It has been said, “A window of opportunity will not open itself.” You must recognize the windows of opportunity that may be opened just a crack, and practice “shark attack” leadership to open it wide.

Go for it. Seize the opportunity. Shark attack! Shark attack!

Too often leaders can be timid and fearful. Leaders can be afraid to make the decisions that need to be made. So, decisions don’t get made and situations worsen.

Not to decide is to decide not to.

Are there decisions you have been putting off – decisions that need to be made? Are there opportunities waiting for you that need to be taken advantage of, but you’re feeling overwhelmed and, therefore, not moving forward? Practice Shark Attack Leadership. Shrug off the intimidation you are feeling and wholeheartedly pursue what needs to be done.

Victory is as close as your willingness to wholeheartedly press through your opposition and drive toward your objectives. Don’t let your opponents of fear, intimidation, indecision, indifference, complacency, mediocrity, timidity and the like pin you.

Wholeheartedly fight back.

Wholeheartedly seize the opportunities that present themselves and don’t let fear, intimidation, regret, timidity, disappointment, failure or anything else pin you – victory is close at hand.

You may be nearly pinned. You may feel like giving up. Things can change in an instant though. Look for the opportunity you can seize to turn the tide toward victory.

Practice Shark Attack Leadership.