Change like a hurricane.
Change like a hurricane.
It’s a nice day today here in Charlotte, North Carolina. As I write this, the sun is beaming into our office and the sky is filled with white, fluffy clouds.
In stark contrast, a massive hurricane lurks off the coast of our state, just 200 miles from where I sit. Florence, as she’s been named, is expected to make landfall in two days.
No one really knows the impact she will have here, as hurricanes have proven to be unpredictable. But, the forecasts aren’t good.
Will she curve north? Will she dip south? Or will she take a direct path over my city? And –– most importantly, what will the impact be on me and my family?
The meteorologists are doing their best to answer that, and by the time you read this, we’ll have the answers.
This is a moment of reflection for me, both personally and about the work I do.
For as many times as my firm has helped organizations through the unknowns of change, today is a reminder of what employees feel when facing unpredictable events:
What will the impact be on me?
Do I have the strength to endure it?
Do I have the right skills to meet this new challenge?
Am I prepared?
We all have our “hurricanes” — each with their own level of unpredictability and impact. And, they come with a flood of questions.
As you know by now, I’m a firm believer in getting employees involved in the change. Building deep understanding, personal ownership and individual activationcan take the bluster out of an organization’s hurricane.
I’d better wrap this one up and head home to make sure our house and my family are prepared for the unknown.
One thing we know for sure, Florence is on her way –– and she’s got a temper.
Thanks for being involved today,
Tim
A light read in times of turbulence.
Wisdom can come from surprising places. In his book, Chip Gaines, co-host of HGTV's Fixer Upper, recounts the "smart things" he learned "by doing stupid stuff."
It's a funny, heartwarming read –– and has some surprising lessons on change.
