Chuck Dymer and I presented to a group of logistics managers in Chicago last week. The topic was how to handle uncertain times successfully.
Tomorrow, I’ll be closing the Nature Explore and The Outdoor Classroom Project Leadership Institute with a comparable message. The conference theme is building resilience and joy in uncertain times. The audience for the presentation consists of educators, landscape designers, government officials, and others involved with creating outdoor classrooms for children. It’s all about getting kids outside to experience nature, interact, and learn. The closing presentation will be about staying strong as an idea magnet even you are uncertain of what is ahead.
Next month, Emma Alvarez Gibson and I will be delivering a couple of workshops for the Friends of Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites. The message will once again be similar: carrying out your mission when times are changing in ways you have not previously experienced.
Yes, dealing with uncertain times (while facing fewer or nonexistent resources) seems to be in the forefront for many different types of organizations these days.
25 Infinitely Renewable Things in Uncertain Times
One theme for the Leadership Institute presentation is finding the blue sky - the open opportunities - even amid what seems to be an onslaught of constraints and limitations. That took me to the idea of abundance thinking, one of the fundamental strategies of idea magnets. These creative leaders recognize constraints but turn their attention to the available resources that are plentiful and can always be grown.
Wanting to leave the Leadership Institute participants with a starting list of ideas, here are twenty-five things that are abundantly available – even in hard-nosed business settings.
- Affiliating with Others
- Asking Others for Help
- Asking Someone If You Can Help
- Caring for Others
- Cheering Each Other On
- Coming up with another idea
- Creativity
- Determination
- Doodling a Smiley Face or Heart
- Enthusiasm
- Focusing on Your Core Purpose
- Forgiveness
- Good Humor
- Good Intentions
- Hugs
- Humility
- Imagination
- Jumping for Joy
- Positive Thoughts
- Prayer
- Reaching Out to Others
- Remembering Successes You’ve Already Had
- Sharing Stories
- Smiles
- Trying One More Time
What else is abundantly available in your part of the world? If your team could use some ideas and motivation right now with handling uncertainty, we'd love to come spend time with you to share strategies that are working! – Mike Brown
