Episode Two: How to Jump the Shark
Welcome to Episode Two of our week long series about jumping the shark. In Episode One, I wrote about those “jump the shark” moments that happen so frequently in television shows. When a show jumps the shark, it means that the show has reached its peak and is now on its way down. It happens with television shows, but it also happens with bands, with products, and with companies. And you know what? It also happens in our every day lives. You can jump the shark at work, in a relationship, or even while volunteering somewhere. No matter where it happens, jumping the shark looks something like this: In the beginning, you are working towards a goal, moving forward, and/or growing personally or professionally. But after a while, you reach a plateau. You aren’t growing or moving forward, you’re simply standing still. At this point, one of two things will happen. Either your plateau will end and you will begin to climb again, or you will jump the shark and begin a downhill slide.
Consider this career example: Bob is a hard working guy who has been loyally working for the same company for seven years. For the first four years, he was moving up the corporate ladder. He earned a few raises and even received a promotion. He makes it to middle management, but then his career stalls. The raises and promotions become less frequent. He is still working hard but he is getting less recognition. Then he gets a new boss who he doesn’t seem to like him or appreciate the work he’s doing. But he stays with the company, thinking things will turn around. As time goes on, he starts to feel bored and unsatisfied with his job because he isn’t learning anything new and doesn’t feel like he is contributing anything of value. Then around year six, he hears that a high-level management spot has become available and he knows that he is extremely qualified for the job. He updates his resume, lines up some good references, and lands an interview. He knocks the interview out of the park and is completely convinced that the job is his. So you can imagine his surprise and disappointment when he discovers that, not only has he been passed over for the job, but the job has gone to one of the people in his very own office who he was managing just last week. In an ironic twist of fate, Bob is now working for someone who used to work for him. He becomes angry and dissatisfied. His work suffers and he becomes much less productive. The poor quality of his work means he receives zero raises and no recognition, which makes him even more unhappy. The whole thing spirals down hill and at the end of year seven, Bob’s company lets him go. When friends ask him what happened, he’ll say that it all seemed to fall apart when he was passed over for that big promotion. Losing out on the promotion was Bob’s “Jump the Shark” moment.
The jump the shark moment is the turning point…the thing you’ll point to later on and say that was when ”it” (the job, the marriage, the friendship) really started to fall apart. So if the jump the shark moment is where it all goes bad, is there a way to avoid it? Perhaps. One way to prevent a jump the shark moment is to understand what causes it to happen in the first place. In TV land, there are three main causes for jumping the shark: longevity, cast changes, and a lack of something new to say. These same three causes apply to the real world too. Consider Bob’s example: He stayed too long at a job where he didn’t feel like he was growing or contributing, while working for a new manager who didn’t like him. When you look at that way, it’s no wonder the job didn’t work out in the end.
Besides knowing the causes, it’s also helpful to understand that jump the shark moments don’t just suddenly happen. You aren’t growing one moment and free falling the next. Your marriage isn’t wonderful one day and falling apart the very next one. If you scroll back up and look at the diagram again, you’ll see that the jump the shark moment actually comes at the end of a plateau, after a period of stagnation or a period where things aren’t great but aren’t a complete failure either. So if you are astute enough to spot the plateau, you may be able to avoid jumping the shark. If you haven’t been promoted in a few years, it may be time to look for a new job rather than wait for things to fall apart at your current job. If a once fabulous friendship is now stressful and filled with tension, maybe it’s time to talk it out with your friend before one of you does or says something that will lead to the end of the friendship.
Of course, preventing the shark jumping moment requires a certain level of self-awareness and an ability to evaluate your current situation. And in reflecting on your current situation, you may find yourself wondering “has my shark jumping moment already happened? What are the signs that I’ve already jumped the shark?”
I’m so glad you asked!
To Be Continued…
