The Toronto Star has declared that the recession is officially over. Really? Whether the financial wizards at the Star are right or not, every new day brings more signs of people and routines returning to their pre-recession normal. As the financial dust is settling, the big question on everyone's mind is, of course, will the buying public adopt a new, more rational, sane approach to lifestyle purchases and debt, or will they resume their forty-year spending spree?
The recession has been tough on millions of people: lost jobs, foreclosed homes and retirement dreams have vanished. It's also been devastating for thousands of companies, and sobering, to say the least, for governments on both sides of the American border and abroad.
The big question is really this - have we learned anything from the events of the recent past? Will individuals, companies and governments change their ways? And, can we collectively learn from our mistakes? Conventional wisdom says, 'those who change best are those who must'. So, do we really need to change our ways, now that many are going back to work, credit is being extended and the fear mongers on CNN has moved on to other 'Breaking News'?
My hope is that we all transform our recessionary experiences into lessons learned. To do that we are going to need to:
Stop/Reflect: What's happened for you and to you in the past few months? Ask yourself, what's clear to me now that was hard to see a year ago? We hold more power than we're generally willing to own up to. How many times has your personal or professional history repeated itself? What part have you played in the creation of, or participation in, the recent economic storm, and what part could you play now to move yourself, your team or community forward?
Claim Your Victories: What's worked for you this past year, in spite of the circumstances? What have you done well? And, who and what helped you get through this mess? If you've weathered the past year and are still standing - then high-fives all-round! And don't - as my uncle used to say- forget to, dance with the ones who brung ya. Give a shout out to all your friends, family and colleagues that have helped you keep your stick on the ice.
Draw Some Lines: Learning from the past means bringing what you know now into your future. For a whole lot of folks, that's going to mean drawing a line in the sand and learning to live within their means and making better buying and business decisions from here on. For companies it may mean watching more carefully for 'moving cheese'. In the now famous fable, "Who Moved My Cheese?", Hem & Haw were caught off guard when their supply of cheese vanished bit by delicious bit. Maybe you were too.
So, right now - write down three things you will stop doing and three you will start doing that can ensure that those 'predictable surprises' are kept to a minimum!
Don't waste a good crisis! Make some decisions about how you want your life and career to be - then call me, and together we'll make sure you don't back over your new line.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
What's Your Legacy?
Unless you've been hiding under a rock, you've no-doubt heard that, the 'King of Pop' has died. The tributes, memorials and media specials of the past week have shone a spotlight on a music-loving world, processing the loss of a favorite son.
It's been interesting to watch this mass farewell unfold. Like Elvis and Princes Diana before him, the life story of Michael Jackson is, minute-by-minute, morphing from being a tale of an undeniably talented, but bizarre man, into an account of an iconic star - a King. His life story is being re-written right before our TV watching, YouTube surfing eyes. Negative facts and events are being minimized, while recording achievements and triumphs are being highlighted and re-run, over and over. The Jackson family spin-doctors are hard at work and the result is a stunning demonstration of a legacy in the making.
With any change comes loss; and when the final curtain falls on a major celebrity, whether one of your favorites or not, you may find yourself feeling a sense of sadness, remembering the 'good old days'; replaying happier times.
Michael Jackson's music helped define a generation. He's a youngish Boomer who blasted on to the music scene in the 70's and deepened his star power in the 80's. He changed a generation's music landscape and now he's gone. Forever silenced. He was planning a comeback tour - no one will ever know if he actually could have 'come-back' or not. The question on everyone's lips now is - what will his legacy be? When the dust settles and the collective tears have dried, how will he be remembered?
Maybe you're a Boomer too. If so, you likely 'burst' onto the working scene in the late 60's or 70's. You may have rocketed to the top of your professional game in the 80's and 90's and now you may be easing out of the work force, or at least beginning to think about it.
Let me ask you - what will your legacy be? How will your clients and colleagues remember you? What contributions have you made to your workplace, industry or profession? And, how will your community, family and friends remember your work - and you?
Whether you plan on working only till RSP values return, or you adhere to the, retirement over my dead body philosophy, it's not too late to do something to create your own lasting legacy.
You can start today to:
Mentor younger colleagues. Those less experienced, newer folks at work need your encouragement, your support and the occasional nugget of wisdom that only age and experience can supply. Who can you take under your wing?
Document key company history and knowledge. You may be the only guy or gal left from when the company was first formed, or first went public, and you may be among only a handful of people who fully understand the rationale behind key decisions made, decisions that still affect business success today. What do you know that you need to get down on paper?
Look for opportunities to demonstrate core values. The new generation of employees is hungry for meaning and significance at work. What values have you stood for in your working career? Why are they important and who needs to see you 'walk the talk' now?
Think about it. Where do you, and your contributions, fit in the fabric of your company, industry or profession? Then do more than think about it - actively engage in legacy leaving activities. Get busy ensuring that your work outlasts your presence. Who knows, maybe your picture will be blasted across the company intranet on your last day. Hey - it could happen!
It's been interesting to watch this mass farewell unfold. Like Elvis and Princes Diana before him, the life story of Michael Jackson is, minute-by-minute, morphing from being a tale of an undeniably talented, but bizarre man, into an account of an iconic star - a King. His life story is being re-written right before our TV watching, YouTube surfing eyes. Negative facts and events are being minimized, while recording achievements and triumphs are being highlighted and re-run, over and over. The Jackson family spin-doctors are hard at work and the result is a stunning demonstration of a legacy in the making.
With any change comes loss; and when the final curtain falls on a major celebrity, whether one of your favorites or not, you may find yourself feeling a sense of sadness, remembering the 'good old days'; replaying happier times.
Michael Jackson's music helped define a generation. He's a youngish Boomer who blasted on to the music scene in the 70's and deepened his star power in the 80's. He changed a generation's music landscape and now he's gone. Forever silenced. He was planning a comeback tour - no one will ever know if he actually could have 'come-back' or not. The question on everyone's lips now is - what will his legacy be? When the dust settles and the collective tears have dried, how will he be remembered?
Maybe you're a Boomer too. If so, you likely 'burst' onto the working scene in the late 60's or 70's. You may have rocketed to the top of your professional game in the 80's and 90's and now you may be easing out of the work force, or at least beginning to think about it.
Let me ask you - what will your legacy be? How will your clients and colleagues remember you? What contributions have you made to your workplace, industry or profession? And, how will your community, family and friends remember your work - and you?
Whether you plan on working only till RSP values return, or you adhere to the, retirement over my dead body philosophy, it's not too late to do something to create your own lasting legacy.
You can start today to:
Mentor younger colleagues. Those less experienced, newer folks at work need your encouragement, your support and the occasional nugget of wisdom that only age and experience can supply. Who can you take under your wing?
Document key company history and knowledge. You may be the only guy or gal left from when the company was first formed, or first went public, and you may be among only a handful of people who fully understand the rationale behind key decisions made, decisions that still affect business success today. What do you know that you need to get down on paper?
Look for opportunities to demonstrate core values. The new generation of employees is hungry for meaning and significance at work. What values have you stood for in your working career? Why are they important and who needs to see you 'walk the talk' now?
Think about it. Where do you, and your contributions, fit in the fabric of your company, industry or profession? Then do more than think about it - actively engage in legacy leaving activities. Get busy ensuring that your work outlasts your presence. Who knows, maybe your picture will be blasted across the company intranet on your last day. Hey - it could happen!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
