For Such A Time As This….

Business guru John Maxwell, calls it the “law of the lid”; in the Virgin Islands we say, “water always seeks its own level; an African proverb says, “if your only tool is a hammer, you will see every problem as a nail.” The point is no leader can guide an organization any higher than the levels of his or her leadership and technical prowess.

Without question, we are living in uncertain, chaotic, turbulent and risky times; times that Good to Great author Jim Collins says are ideal for both aspiring and struggling entrepreneurs, as well as for weary business and organizational leaders. This is precisely when your personal strengths, creative insights and conceptual mindset are of tremendous value, as these skills, along with your leadership powerpak will equip you to effective navigate change with vitality. Your leadership powerpak should be filled with an array of managerial and leadership resources to include vision; strategic planning; wisdom; discipline; teaming, problem-solving and critical thinking, process and quality management skills; inspirational, transformational and change management know-how; capacity building, but most important, resiliency; that ability to stay the course and persist with sustained focused even in trying times. It sounds tough but it can be done, in fact it has been done by those entrepreneurs and business leaders who dared.

This is a time of rebirth, revitalization, and reinvention. In contrast to days gone by, currently as a global community we have more resources at our fingertips than ever before, yet we allow the winds of change to paralyze us, to compel us to give up.

When asked about thriving in the current business climate, Barbadian Aubry Padmore, an entrepreneur and the visionary owner of CaribVoice radio said, “It has become critical to be proactive in business; creating collaborative forums for community work and fiscal reciprocity, as this will serve to enhance the growth and development of commerce for everyone; strategic partnering and bartering have become essential.”

California based, Women’s Radio Financial guru Anita Renee Johnson shared, “Today money and finances have taken on a new meaning for all of us. It is important that we learn to shop wisely for our good and services; learn to recognize a need versus a want. This distinction will guide individuals and organization through the seemingly rough times ahead.”

This is a time when individual and organizational strengths can shine in the midst of intense volatile change. This is a time to identify gaps in products and services, and fill that need. It is time for organizations to assess their effectiveness, and reengineer themselves to address these gaps. It is a time to search for and embrace new opportunities if you will simply open your eyes to see. This is the time for strategic and collaborative partnership, genuine networking, for truly the meaning of team…together, everyone achieves more rings true.

Remember as you journey in these days of change, the proverb, if you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together!! You were destined for such a time as this, so seize it!!