#777 the unknown

When I see the number 777 (as in this blog number), I think of planes -- specifically the "triple seven" Malaysian Air jet that is still lost at sea.  As of this writing, the plane has been missing for four and a half months, and the search radius is still thousands of square miles. In light of the tragedy that has just befallen yet another Malaysian Air jet plane, I am sure the speculation about the original Flight 370 will resume.

When the plane first went missing (March 8), its disappearance dominated the news.  Everyone was talking about it and hypothesizing on what could have happened to the jet.  Then coverage and interest faded away -- until yesterday.  

A friend commented that "we are not a society that likes the unknown."  We paid rapt attention to the news when there was hope of closure, but then it became easier to ignore the issue rather than grapple with its unresolved nature.  We have become accustomed to using our smart phones to instantly get answers and it becomes unsettling when there are things even Google doesn't know.

At times, the desire for closure and definitive answers cause people to settle for a resolution, accepting a plausible theory as the final word.  Rather than face discomfort by searching for a year or more, we often call something unsolvable and move on.

But the Malaysian government has pledged that the search will continue until evidence of the plane is found.  Australia has also committed $56 million for three submersibles to spend a year scanning the ocean floor.

Are there mysteries in your organization or in your business plan that are worth a longer time of ambiguity?  Should you continue to try new areas, refine your search, experiment with new methods and infuse your efforts with a healthy dose of persistence -- rather than jump at an early answer?  Maybe you could take a lesson from the quest for Flight 370 answers and pledge to keep looking.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

Source:  Malaysia is sending in more ships to search for jetliner by Keith Bradsher, The New York Times, http://nyti.ms/1rCxtjw, July 6, 2014.