This is not designed to be alarmist, but to be instructive about the reality we are living through. The hook from the R.E.M. song keeps playing through my mind,
It's the end of the world as we know it
While we don't seem to be living through a world ending event, it certainly has and will continue to change everything about how we live, work and relate to one another. For most of the people living there has never been a time when everyone world-wide is hyper-vigilant about their surroundings. These are challenging times, bending the paradigms of culture and community into odd shapes and confusing configurations.
Making the most of the challenging times, we are experiencing can be taxing. Here is where you begin the process for your organization:
Ask what do I personally need and what does my organization need right now. I will bet your conclusion is, we need a way to communicate and stay in touch with the people who matter most and who need you.
Then ask,
What do the people need from my organization or me?
Do they need information about your organization?
Do they need inspiration?
Do they need access to existing resources outside of your organization?
By asking and answering the above questions you can create a blueprint of what is important now. The substance questions you answered above must be followed by process questions and answers below.
How often do they need contact?
Should it be placed online for them to access at their leisure?
Should they receive some type of electronic notice, email, text, or push notifications about the information posted online?
Yes, there are a lot of questions that need answering. Just remember that answering these questions once and honestly can save you, your constituents, and your organization time, money, and frustration.
Are you looking for solutions, or are you highlighting the problems? Effective leadership is solution-focused leadership.
Make the Most of Challenging Times, Find Long-term Solutions to Short-term Problems. When you do, you turn mountains into speed bumps if you ever have to come this way again.
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