"You're gonna need a bigger boat!" —Police Chief Brody, Jaws
Three able men are shoveling chum out into the water to attract the menace terrorizing their beaches. Suddenly an image begins to take form beneath the water, circling the small fishing vessel. They assess they are looking at a 25-foot, three-ton tiger shark. Police Chief Martin Brody exclaims, "You're gonna need a bigger boat!" A patently obvious observation? Granted, but remember the theater breaking out in nervous laughter when Schneider blurted it out in 1975? But as Shark Week is celebrated this week, it's also an apt allegory for capacity building ... personal capacity building.
Capacity building typically refers to an organization's ability to offer new services that add value for those it serves. You have to have the capacity before you attempt to take your services to a higher level. For example, it doesn't make sense to increase your student body by 300 percent if you don't have the staff and room to accommodate three times as many learners. Sure, you'd have more revenue from increased enrollments, but you wouldn't be able to meet everyone's needs and expectations. You have to have the capacity to handle your goals once you realize them.
The concept of capacity building holds true for each of us individually. It makes no sense to pursue goals that you aren't personally ready to handle, because once you arrive at your desired destination, the reality will hit