WHAT COMES FIRST THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG?
In the prior article in this series, I’ve tried to help us maintain an understanding that innovation and change are intertwined, a powerful impact on our culture. It influences not only what we think and do but why as well. Simon Sinek, an author and global speaker, challenges us how we think as we face these challenges..
Sinek’s model can be highly effective in helping leaders navigate in disruptive times. His “Golden Circle” framework emphasizes starting with “Why” before moving to “How” and “What” because it has the potential to provide insights when facing uncertainty and rapid change. Navigating these times demands clarity, inspiration, adaptability, and resilience. Being proactive can yield healthier and more mission-driven decisions.
Sinek’s paradigm cannot be the only solution offered but must allow leaders to be willing to adapt, communicate effectively, and lead by example. Trust and collaboration are critical in these times
Families, in particular, are being impacted with many positive inventions and conveniences that improve the quality of life. Remote work offered communication access and increased their wealth of information. Daily tasks have been improved with “smart home” devices that make home more efficient. Challenges, however, have also been introduce. Screen time, digital addictions, and lessened face-to-face communication are some challenges that call for a balance between what tech provides and personal relationships.
New job opportunities have emerged in Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, and renewable energy. Productivity has improved in many corporations prompting economic growth. The other side of the scale is that job displacements will continue to rise with robotics increasing in places we never considered.
Education is being revolutionized enabling online learning, personalized learning experiences, and customized learning is being developed to facilitate the learning styles of our students. Schools, however, are struggling with technological changes and their related costs. Children from poverty homes are at a projected disadvantage as many of their families cannot afford the technology.
Granted there are enormous benefits and challenging problems with technology booming and change becoming rampant, but the success of these transitions often lies square on the shoulders of individuals.
The greatest challenge we all face is peoples’ mindsets around the whole issue of change. Change is fearful for some whose only defense in the face of change is to resist it. In these days when change is coming at us like a tsunami, resistance is illogical. Ignoring it, fighting it, and getting a ticket to the “monastery of the mind”, to close off the external world for the peace of the status quo is doubly illogical.
The most basic mindset influencers come from our beliefs and values some of which are antiquated and no longer useful but the question remains: do we attempt to change a society, Church as we know it, organizational cultures that are punitive, not loving? OR do we begin by changing ourselves? It is a chicken and egg choice. Is it easier, more logical, and faster to change the culture of the society we live in or to change ourselves?
“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or if we wait for some other time.
We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
Barack Obama
