Choices, Choices, Choices
I have been thinking about choices and the ramifications of our choices. As individuals and leaders of organizations we make more decisions than we have time to acknowledge. Frank Graff in a PBS blog notes., we make thousands of decisions daily. However, how often do we slow down to consider the ripple effects we create? Many advice columns and books espouse the how and why we choose what we choose. For a moment, I would like to turn the examination inward to consider what our choices say about us as individuals and organizations.
Choices reveal who we are.
We don’t always get to choose what happens to us, but we do choose how we react. Daily we demonstrate what we value and how we prioritize through the choices we make. When (and not if) faced with adversity, what will you choose to do or not do? Individually, character and resilience are built in difficult days. As organizations, you cement your core mission for your staff and target markets more in your choices than advertisements. Gifts of intellect, skill, energy and resources are powerful propellers. How will you direct them and what will those choices say about you? In the choosing you announce…this is who we are.
We often have more choices than we think we do…break out of the box and be open.
The phrase “a whole new world” seems cliché but in this moment, officially past a global pandemic and with technological advances emerging at the speed of light, you are limited only by your own innovation and creativity. When much uncertainty reigns, what we can depend on is change. No matter what we face individually and organizationally, the “it” is not permanent. That is actually great news, because given the pace of innovation and the ever-widening range of choices exciting new possibilities are borne. Straight line career paths for example are a thing of the past. Sometimes, we have to take a circuitous route to our goal(s). Be open to outrageous dreams. They may be closer to attainment than you think.
The choices we make have consequences that impact us and ripple out into the world.
As we settle into a new post-pandemic normal, there is a lesson that sticks with me because of its undeniable ramifications. We are all connected, and by virtue of those connections, our choices create intentional and unanticipated ripple effects. We can’t control all the “ripples” of our choices and some we may never know. The best we can do is focus on the intended impact. Choosing respectful collaborations that center common priorities can build bridges supportive of organizational effectiveness and partner/client well-being ( See Building Bridges for Thriving Communities). Pursuing personal well-being models possibility for others. The ways we choose to engage with each other matters. The products and services we offer and the way they are marketed matter. Choose to create ripples of possibility. Chances are someone created one for you.
In the Spirit of CIHU: Improve the world through your decisions
