As we approach Labor Day weekend in the US, we need to reflect on how labor is a contributing factor in the past, current and future best outcomes of this great nation. Rome was not built in a day, but fire destroyed it very quickly. Nor was this nation quickly formed but it to can be taken down very quickly if We The People don’t understand that we need to work together and labor for our freedoms.
In this the 21st century we may not need to build the ark to deal with 40 days of rain or even the melting of the polar ice cap, but we may need a new type of ark to keep us safe from drowning in the sea of fallacies spread like flood waters on to each of us daily. In the story of the ark, people laughed at the building but then craved to be on the boat when the rains came. What are you doing to navigate the onslaught of fallacies which are flooding your mind?
The energy buzz of our daily lives gives us little time to stop and take time to enter the room of silence. To block out the noise and actually listen to what is really going on around us. People are almost scared to not have noise in their ears and flashing smartphone screens filling their eyes. Pausing and taking in the nature sounds of the world which are not curated for you is a great way to find not only yourself but to re-experience the world in a whole new way.
It seems that middle ground no longer exists in our society. It is driving larger separations between individuals, families, organizations and in general our society. The ability for two parties to have open constructive discussion is fading into the past. Fueled by social media and instant gratification, opposing sides splatter opinions like paint or spaghetti on the wall hoping it sticks and someone hears it as the final truth. Unfortunately, the community at large is penalized as opinions take on an urban legend type hype and in turn the direction of the future is altered not for the good of society but for the benefit of the loudest squeaking wheel.
Somedays our culture is so preoccupied by what is going to happen that we lose sight of what is happening. The rush to make things better clouds our eyes of what impact we are having right now. The rapid pace of daily living has caused many to no longer stop and smell the roses but to figure out a way to make the roses smell more so we don’t have to stop our hurried pace. Take time to slow down and smell the roses.
Our culture is ever evolving. The ebb and flow in various directions adds many dynamics to the reality we all navigate. Some days the reality can get pretty grim, and we might just feel like it really should not be this bad. We can either choose to be sucked down the rabbit hole of bitterness or we can choose to see the light and be hopeful that tomorrow will be brighter than the current moment in time.
In a society that is so often self-concerned we need to be open to seeing others for who they are and not what we want them to be. We may or may not agree with what or who they want to be recognized as but that does not make them any less of a human being. Allow them to be who they are and hopefully they will allow you to be who you are.
It is one thing to get up in the morning and go to work. It is another thing to get up in the morning and hop out of bed to race to perform your very best at your chosen work activity. One of the ingredients for this to happen is for you to be engaged in an organization that aligns with your personal culture. Feeling like you are recognized, and your contribution is acknowledged is additionally part of the business cultural fit we all seek.
At JKL Associates we take the 4th of July to celebrate the freedoms this great nation allows each of us to partake in. Our Freedoms, Our Constitution, Our Bill of Rights should never be twisted or contorted to achieve individual or selective groups agendas.
The founding fathers of this great nation – The United States – understood that we would have differences. The items in our Constitution and Bill of Rights are a testament to them being able to forecast our future and hopefully protect us from ourselves. At the same time providing for the richness of a multi-cultural experience giving opportunity to all who elect to invest themselves into their future.