“Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.”
When any airlines goes through their preflight safety guidelines you hear several things: buckling your seatbelt, the locations of bathrooms and emergency exits, seat used as a flotation device, as well as proper seat back and tray table position. We also hear about in the event of a loss of cabin pressure, oxygen masks will drop from the ceiling. They tell us how we are to place a mask over our own nose and mouth first before assisting anyone else. So how is it in the professional world (and life), when we are gasping for air, we are still scurrying around helping others with their oxygen masks? Part of our culture today wears selflessness and exhaustion as a badge of honor. Yes, being in service to others is noteworthy and something we are all called to do. Still, there is threshold or limit to how much we can give.
Individuals, companies and organizations alike strive toward the goal of success. The very definition of success will vary from one individual or business to another as defined by core values and mission statements:
maximizing shareholder value
excellence in customer service
creating innovative value added service
highest quality products
delivery value to our customers
provide the best user experience
inspire imagination
competitive pricing
exceeding expectations
While the goal of success may be clearly defined, the translation of those objectives into our focus can fluctuate from one day to the next. This is often a result of shifting or competing demands. Juggling countless requests for our time from leaders, peers, team members, and business customers. That doesn’t even include the demands from our personal life. Nor does it account for the other job that many people unknowingly have:
“In most organizations nearly everyone is doing a second job no one is paying them for—namely, covering their weaknesses, trying to look their best, and managing other people’s impressions of them. There may be no greater waste of a company’s resources. The ultimate cost: neither the organization nor its people are able to realize their full potential.”
So when we are not in balance we fall out of rhythm or cadence. Over time that can compound exponentially. So what happens when things are out of sync? What does it look like when we find ourselves off track - lost in uncertainty and unsure how to regain our momentum or that edge? We experience challenges including:
Breakdown in Communication
Increased Stress
Lost Productivity
Performance Issues
Heightened Conflict
Decreased Morale/Motivation
Higher Costs
Deteriorating Returns
And in the end all of this adds up to, money. The bottomline is impacted. And money means viability. In a disposable or throw away culture or society, the solution can often be to cut ties with the old and move on to something new, including with people. Yet, research points out time and time again that training current employees is far more cost effective than hiring new ones.
“I define a leader as anyone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes, and who has the courage to develop that potential.”
“People don’t fail because they want to fail; they fail because they don’t know how to succeed.”
So it begs the question, is it time to take a new approach to solve your recurring problems? Is it time to get at the root of the things rather than continue plucking and breaking off another weed at the stem? What if there was a way to transform the way you approach and resolve issues, to establish a new pathway without having to start from scratch. What if you could safeguard one of your most critical investments, your people. Whether your developmental needs are individual, team based, or larger we are here to help you achieve the results you are looking for.
“Success if not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
