Change...
A Call To Action For All Of Us
Thank you President Obama!
For most people, it is easy to assume that leaders, political, business and religious, will carry the day by genuinely changing that which requires repair. However, leaders embracing and driving change is only one half of the equation. The other half of executing real change rests with everyone else. We, the general public, must BE the change as well.
Helen Keller stated, "The world is moved along not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes but by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each worker". Through the collective efforts of our leaders AND all of us, we have the power to bring our global community back into alignment. Collectively with our leaders, we also have a responsibility to find new ways to innovate and introduce new dimensions of value in our organizations and to the economic base that is under such incredible pressure.
People cannot afford to bury their heads in the sand to avoid drawing attention to themselves. While survival is a noble motive, it will not by itself contribute to the substantive changes that are fundamentally needed. This strategy will only lead to mediocrity. And mediocrity is not the vehicle we so desperately need to make our lives, our careers, our economy, our country and our world, a better place.
With President Obama serving as the spark, the flame and the initial fuel, he has given us hope. Yet, he along with his leadership team cannot do it alone. We must all join forces with our leaders in the convictions that have stirred our nation, and as stated so eloquently by Helen Keller, let us all start to make a few tiny pushes of our own!
So how do we start?
1.Speak Up when you can make a difference!
Don't suppress information that is important - information that can make a difference. Voice your opinion when you see the potential for improvement. And promote an environment that rewards rather than punishes people for speaking up. Imagine if the people who knew about the economic melt-down had spoken up, and that an environment existed where they wouldn't be penalized for doing so.
2.Confront Situations that you would otherwise avoid!
Take the courageous and honest steps that allow you to confront situations for the purpose of resolution. Confrontation is positive if performed in a healthy fashion. Don't be intimidated by others as we are all people...people that need to change!
3.Expect Results from yourself and others!
Find the discipline in yourself and in others to expect results and to hold people accountable. Set expectations that you and others understand and can agree to and then execute on them.
4. Now is the time to Be Bold!
Tough times call for tough actions and without question our situation requires that we step up in new and innovative ways. However, don't feel you have to go from 0 to 100 mph immediately. Take graduated and managed steps and progress can be achieved.
While Change may have been sparked by President Obama; it is ALL of US that must partake to make a difference.
Embrace the Change, Be The Change!