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And, as always, the presence of evergreen. It's always green here in the corner of the Northwest.
Always green. I remember living in Port Angeles, about two hours west of Seattle and two hours east
of the Hoh Rainforest, and thinking "who lives in a place where moss grows on the sidewalks?"
Always green.
Perhaps it is more difficult to remain an optimist in less moderate climes? Supposedly, we have
more instances of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), winter blues and lost sunglasses, but I always
say we Seattleites are the ultimate optimists: we know the sun will return. We know the Cascade
mountains, and especially Mt. Rainier, are out there, just beyond the fuzzy skyline in winter
(and other months, too), and we have faith.
So, too, the role of leaders right now as we face uncertainty and some gray skies — we must know
that whatever ails our organizations, communities or countries will get better; it will be changed
for sure, and different, but we will not stay where we are now.
Heraclitus (475 B.C.) noted, you cannot step into the same river twice — the water's movement makes
sure of it — and thus we can approach the grassy bank with both anticipation and uncertainty — neither
of which, frankly, will kill us.
What to do as a leader when faced with gray skies?
- Maintain Perspective. There are a lot of doomsdayers and naysayers out there. Sometimes they mask
themselves in the dark cloaks of cynicism and "I'm just being real" behaviors. Don't buy into it.
Choose carefully those you spend time with, listen to and take to heart. Try to remember that
underneath the dark cloak is fear of disappointment — cynicism is sure paralysis for organizations
and people. If this applies to you, consider carefully: perhaps for now you might give up your
addiction to information? I know this sounds counter to what I usually preach — learn, grow, develop,
improve — but incessant media madness (including print, television and Internet) will dampen your
spirits at best and make you paranoid at worst. Focus on what's inside your circle of influence
and remember that you always have the ability to choose how to respond to what happens to you
and around you.
- Be Inspiring. If you're leading others, they're always watching you anyway, but they're really
watching you now. Talk about scrutiny. Talk about pressure! The interesting thing about inspiring
others is that often it happens because we are inspiring ourselves. What creates positive,
life-affirming joy for you? Or if that's just too much for a gray, rainy perspective, what gives
you and those around you some sense of relief? Spend time on those topics, activities and projects
that mean something to you and to your organization or team.
- Believe in Your Own Resilience. You will prevail. What's the alternative? If you always have the
ability to choose, you can choose something different. Think about times in the past when you made
it through a tough or difficult situation? What did you do well? What did you learn? You don't have
to know how this will all play out, you just need to stay in the game, and though many have shared
with me recently that they just want to "keep their heads down" or be "happy I just have a job,"
resist that urge and be willing to be strong and stand out in the crowd. It's the best time to
do it — it will differentiate you within your organization or among your competitors.
- Celebrate Successes, Regardless How Small. One of my clients is going through a second
lay-off in twelve months. It's painful. It's heart-wrenching and stressful, but this time,
they're better at it. This time, they know what to expect and how to make decisions and treat
people well. Along the way, they've improved productivity, communication, and inched along
the red/black lines of profitability. Recently, a colleague of mine shared her knowledge of
Appreciative Inquiry and the gentle, yet powerful shift this process can create in an
organization and among individuals. Ask on a regular basis: What's the good news? What can
we celebrate? How are we succeeding?
If we're honest, we know that all times are "uncertain" times — it's those gray skies obscuring
the mountains or that different river time and again. Our ability to be flexible, resilient
and full-of-faith allows us to lead with inspiration and clarity, and perhaps just as
importantly, to notice the brilliant, quick flashes of color. We still buy a lot of sunglasses
out here in Seattle, you know?
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