Improvisation

John Wesley Powell was a man of action. He fought for the union in the Civil War. During that conflict he lost his right arm in battle, yet still rose to the rank of major. After the war he joined the geology department at Illinois State Normal University and, as part of his academic research, led an expedition into the Rocky Mountains to study the terrain. Despite his handicap, Powell did not shy away from leading his expedition through, around and over the rough terrain that comprised this famous mountain range.


At one point, he was climbing up a wall of rock. Just short of the summit, Powell found he could go no farther as, with one arm, he could not reach the ledge above or step down to the ledge below without losing his balance completely. Hanging on, he felt his muscles begin to ache and tremble. Powell knew it would be only a matter of time before he would fall. So did the men with him. Suddenly, one of them - a person named Bailey - had an idea. He made his way to the ledge above Powell. Bailey then took off his pants and swung them down to Powell. Powell grabbed onto the pants and then slowly but ever so surely was pulled up the side of the rock wall by Bailey. They and the others made it to that higher ledge as well as to the mountain's summit.


I have no doubt when planning this trip, at no point did it come up in conversation that if anyone became stuck on the side of a mountain then another would simply remove his pants and, using them as a rope, rescue the one in distress. But when Powell got into trouble, Bailey improvised and saved his partner's life. Often, communication efforts are well-planned, too. Yet in their execution unexpected twists and turns occur that must be addressed. A new fact sheet must be prepared and distributed. Interviews with reporters must be arranged. A website must be rearranged. These or other acts of improvisation must be undertaken. Being this nimble requires confidence, expertise, and a recognition that not everything goes as planned.