CATCH 22 AND THE KOBAYASHI MARU

By / Steve Keating

The term Catch 22 is broadly used to describe a tricky problem or a no-win or even absurd situation. You have a couple of choices for solving a problem, but neither of them actually solves it and either of them will likely make the problem worse.

If you were, or are, a fan of the Star Trek television series or movies then you know that the Kobayashi Maru is a training exercise designed to test the character of Starfleet Academy cadets in a no-win scenario. It’s a Catch 22 on steroids.

With the Kobayashi Maru, cadets were put in a situation where they had two options and neither of them was good. But the test required that they select one of the two available options. When they picked one, they discovered just how bad their choices were. Both choices resulted in the loss of their ship and the entire crew.

No cadet had ever “survived” the Kobayashi Maru until James T. Kirk arrived at Starfleet Academy. He was given the same two terrible choices and told he must pick one. Yet, both his ship and crew came through intact.

So, how did this Kirk guy do it? Well, when presented with two horrible options, he declined to pick either one. He manufactured a third.

All the other cadets stayed within the guidelines given to them, even knowing the likely outcome. Kirk refused to be limited to choices that would lead to his destruction. So, he created a third option, seemingly out of thin air.

Some people would say he cheated. Some would say he was very creative. I would say he merely broke the rule that needed to be broken in order to survive.

Many of the things we take for granted today were at one time thought impossible. The people who overcame the impossible didn’t do it with conventional wisdom. They didn’t do it by applying the same limited thinking that made whatever it was impossible in the first place. They also didn’t meekly follow every direction that was given.

They took a risk by breaking a rule or two that apparently didn’t need to be a rule to begin with. They colored outside the lines a bit to determine what was possible. They pushed the widely accepted limits.

People don’t often create new things with old thinking. People don’t change their lives and the lives of others by doing what they have always done. No one overcomes the impossible by asking for permission to do it.

When they run out of options, they do what James T. Kirk did—they manufacture another option.

They don’t quit, and they don’t accept options that will lead to failure. They beat the Kobayashi Maru.

Can you beat it too? ▪

Steve has over 30 years of sales and sales leadership experience. Recognized as a thought leader and authority on leadership, he is an acclaimed and in-demand presenter. He speaks dozens of times a year around the world on topics relating to leadership, sales, customer service, and business management.

You can reach Steve at stevekeating@leadtoday.net.

Reprinted with permission from Steve Keating at SteveKeating. me. Visit his blog for more leadership articles and advice.