After almost two decades of running pretty much all of the meetings I attend, I suppose there was a danger that I might forget what it’s like to be on the receiving end. Well, it all came roaring back to me the other day as I sat helplessly in a socially distanced meeting.
I hate to tell you this, but we will never return to the old normal, whatever that was. Looking back, it may seem there was a time when change crawled at glacial speed, but that’s only a figment of your poor memory and rose-colored glasses. Change is constant. Furthermore, it is accelerating. We can’t go back. Those who recognize that and chart a new course will thrive and the rest are destined to pine.
I heard several interesting interviews on NPR the other day. These were people who care about our country as much as I do. Who care about many of the same issues as I do. Who exhibit many of the same values. Thoughtful, kind, caring people. But people who have reached completely different conclusions about the state of the country, who is doing what, who thinks what, and what needs to be done.
I have been publishing my Clear Thoughts newsletter since 2005 and have never missed my publication date. Today, however, I am taking a bit of a break. And this is why:
After moving to a small town in New Hampshire two years ago, I found myself getting involved in local issues where I have strong opinions. Ironically, despite all of my experience and success facilitating difficult decisions with clients, I am not an effective facilitator when I have strong opinions! And guess what. You aren’t an effective facilitator when you have strong opinions either!
Do you ever wonder how patient you should be? I’ve got executive advisory clients who struggle with this question. Some of them are naturally impatient, know they need to work at being more patient, but worry that being too patient sends the wrong message. Do you ever feel that way? So what can you do? Here is the short answer:
When the Spanish conquistador Cortés and his men first arrived in what became Mexico, they asked the people they encountered, “What is the name of this place?” The native Mayans consistently replied, “Yucatán,” which means…
There was a time when many of us worried about nothing more important than whether we were going to get a promotion or have good weather on our vacation. Is that true? Am I making that up? Maybe it’s just nostalgia for “good old days” that never existed. But look at us now. We face a pandemic that is starting to look like a permanent fixture in our lives, especially if/as the coronavirus mutates. Our systemic racism as a nation has been laid bare before us once again. Our divisiveness has grown so extreme many people can’t even talk with their relatives and neighbors anymore. Our democracy is under attack and both ends of the political spectrum think this is true. Whoa! Is this the way to open a newsletter, article, or blog post?
Wow! These last few months have just been surreal! I don’t know anyone who doesn’t long for a return to the way things were (except those who have decided that sleeping, exercising, cooking, and reading shouldn’t be considered luxuries). However, there are several reasons to guard against such thoughts: