Navigating your way through complexity in a rapidly changing world – Part 3

by Dave Kahle

This is the third of a series of posts recommending and describing a series of disciplines, processes, practices and character traits we need to build into our lives and our businesses if we are going to survive and thrive in this turbulent environment.

You can review the earlier posts and get up to speed here.

Introduction to the concept

Navigating your way through complexity – Part Two

     I’ve suggested that we need to build some ‘sails’ into our lives which power us forward, and some ‘keels’ which hold us in place.

Here’s my recommendation for the first ‘keel’ to build into our lives and corporate cultures.

The First Keel:  An articulated vision or purpose.

One of the defining characteristics of our turbulent world is the incredible number of choices we need to make just to get through the day.  Richard Swenson accurately described it in his book, Margin:

“The spontaneous tendency of our culture is to inexorably add detail to our lives:  one more option, one more problem, one more commitment, one more expectation, one more purchase, one more debt, one more change, one more job, one more decision.  We must now deal with more ‘things per person’ than at any other time in history.”

     We just can’t afford to make decisions on the spur of the moment, by criteria that vary from situation to situation. Or, worse, on the basis of an emotional reaction and no criteria at all.  If we are going to deal effectively with the onslaught of decisions and the tidal wave of ‘things per person’, we need to have some criteria in place, and a process that requires us to refer to the criteria.

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     The place to start is with an articulated statement of our ultimate purpose or vision.  It’s a keel – put into place once with a great deal of thought – and then going unchanged for years, decades and maybe for a lifetime. Like the lead on the bottom of the sailboat, a thoughtful statement of purpose holds us in line and prevents us from chasing after every whiff of a good idea or an attractive opportunity.

     Ideally, whenever we are confronted with a major decision, we stop and compare that decision to our stated purpose.  Does this move us toward our vision, or is it a needless detour that will ultimately waste our time and effort?

     One of the things that I have learned is that it is a higher-level executive skill to be able to say “no” than it is to say ‘yes.’  Those who don’t master the art of saying no are forever doomed to immaturity in their business skills, while those who can and do say no operate out of confidence, and at a higher level of skill and social finesse.

     The ability to say no is a higher-order skill, indicative of a more mature, more developed psyche.  When you can, quickly and decisively, say no, it indicates that you have a focus and a set of guidelines to shape your decisions. You are confident enough in your goals, your strategy, and your values that you can risk the pressure that may come.  The decision being considered doesn’t fit your guidelines, so a prompt no allows you and the other person to move along ... CLICK HERE TO READ FULL ARTICLE.

This is a theory proposed by a lot of  non-business people.  How accurate is it? To subscribe to our twice-a-month articles and podcasts, click here: https://www.thesalesresourcecenter.com/ezine-subscribe/

We are all familiar with the Damar Hamlin incident. While it was unfolding, Dan Orlovsky, a former quarterback and current analyst for ESPN, led a spontaneous prayer on national TV. That has sparked what is probably a temporary encouragement of prayer among the NFL media. And that has huge implications for Christian businesses people. Orlovsky's prayer:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk9TwonTnCM