“Whatever you are, be a good one.” – Abraham Lincoln
For most people reading this, availability of the things we want has rarely been a problem over the past few decades. If we want to buy something, we go to the store and it’s there. If our businesses want something, we call a vendor and they send it to us. We like to complain about the costs of those things, but usually everything we want is available when we want it at a price that isn’t crippling.
Of course, in our current environment, that’s become less certain. Stores don’t always have everything we want, vendors don’t always have everything we want, and whatever is available feels like it costs a fortune. Certainly, much of the world’s population would say that’s just a normal day, but for those of us who are fortunate enough to live in extraordinarily wealthy places, it’s a shock to the system.
That shock to the system can cause people, even exception leaders, to do strange things. I wouldn’t necessarily use the word “panic”, but I would say I see leaders taking actions – or at least seriously considering taking actions – that are more reactionary than usual. We’re in a situation that no one’s been in before, and we’re not sure how to handle it.
I’m obviously not suggesting that we shouldn’t adapt to these circumstances, or that we don’t need to evolve and consider new things. Certainly we do, and if you’ve ready anything in this space over the years you know that.
What I’m simply suggesting is that when you try new things, and when you adapt, and when you evolve, make sure that you’re thinking through the WHY behind those actions & decisions. Are you making decisions out of fear? Panic? Even anger? Or have you thoughtfully considered the facts as you understand them, have you thoughtfully considered the unknowns and variables, and decided that this is the best path.
Crazy times may call for us to try new things, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t stay true to who we are. The core of what we are as organizations and what we’re trying to accomplish isn’t going to radically change. We need to be disciplined enough to not get sidetracked by all the noise. Understand who you are as a leader and then be that leader every day.
