Last month I shared the thoughts of colleagues and friends as we shared conversation on the state of work, strategy and the state of our field – organizational development. A friend of mine posted his reaction, which was the company he was working for was ultimately focused on survival. This sounds similar to many of the organizations I’ve talked with in the past year.
Take-a-ways:
The chaos we find ourselves in is not your fault, and you have little control to change the current situation.
How you and your business come out of the recession has everything to do with your perspective and response.
So, today I’ll speak to the conclusions and implications of how we are thinking about and running companies today. Unfortunately, many owners are in a mindset of survival. They feel trapped in a web or chaos, negative forecasts and actions that continue to take them to the depths of their souls. If left unchecked, they will continue falling into deeper images and realities.
Others, realize the situation they face, confront realities head on, and look for opportunities where they can move beyond their present state – to a preferred and more positive reality. This is difficult, anguishing work, but well worth the effort.
Whether the owner, an executive or an associate somewhere in the organization; the difference is not the situation we find ourselves in, but how we choose to respond. First and foremost, realize that the choice is yours. Remember this – in the end, the business may close, but how you react and respond will be the ultimate memory for you and others in the organization. If you have confronted the issues, engaged others from your team, and done everything possible – you have nothing to fear.
What steps are others taking that are leading them out of the abyss?
- Above all, they focus more on choices for their response, as opposed to the grim reality they may be facing.
- Regardless of position, they accept that they are part of the organizational fabric, with a voice to share.
- They seek out or define critical success factors that help guide them vs. weigh down their journey.
- They focus on the single biggest opportunities ahead, not the avalanche of requests and work from the past.
- Together with others, they band together towards growth and what they can put in place for the next chapter.
- Most importantly, they band together – not taking the situation on head on by themselves.
I know I know – easier said than done. Still, well worth the effort if we eliminate the burden of the outcome and embrace the fight itself.
Best to all of my friends and colleagues on your journey. Post a reply and share your status and other ideas that help you along the way.