Last week I was in Maine, a place where my family has deep roots.
One of my favorite parts of being on the coast is watching the tides.
Every six hours, the water changes direction.
The sea rises and falls by about 10 feet, reshaping the shoreline each time.
At high tide, everything looks smooth and calm.
But when the tide pulls back, the landscape transforms.
Rocks, seaweed, and tidal pools suddenly appear — things you’d never notice when the water was high.
Work cycles have this rhythm too.
When everyone and everything is operating at full capacity — high tide — it can feel like everything is smooth.
But when the tide goes out — a few team members are on leave, or a critical system is down — what’s hidden beneath the surface becomes visible.
That’s when you see:
- Vulnerabilities in your systems.
- Gaps in how your team communicates.
- The habits you rely on when pressure rises.
It’s uncomfortable and inconvenient. But it’s also instructive.
Because those low-tide moments don’t just expose problems — they reveal opportunities.
They show you what needs shoring up, where to build resilience, and they can spark innovations that you keep when high tide returns.
When the tide drops, don’t just fight it or wait it out — learn from it.
What’s a tough place you’re in right now?
And what’s being revealed that you don’t normally get to see?
