Sometimes, as much as we would like the opposite to be true, projects, new initiatives, and ideas take time.
It takes a balance of strengthening the fundamental, proven workflows while leaving room for innovation and creativity as you continue to grow.
The lens that systems-thinking provides is invaluable, especially if you are leading a firm or a team. With this perspective’s aid, you can evolve to become the caretaker of a complex system and work on making it more resilient and creative.
We all procrastinate at one point or another. Getting work done effectively is a matter of setting up all your routines to ensure you are as productive as possible.
Other times, however, the opportunity is too great to miss out on, and after analyzing it carefully, you will know it is the right choice for you; you’ll then feel confident to invest time and money on it.
Not everything will go as we had expected, and in this case, we can fix most problems and prevent the same issues from happening in the future.
I never imagined we would be facing a global pandemic the following year, it has only come to underline the importance of thinking about resilience as we work with our companies.
We tend to associate creativity with artists and writers and their inspiring sculptures, vibrant paintings, and beautiful poetry. Because of the focus that exists on these brilliant creators, we seldom appreciate the impact that creativity can have on our professional careers. However, creativity is one of our most useful skills, no matter what work we do, whether it is accounting, marketing, or simply managing a department.
Creativity is what permits us to forge our path and our view. Without it, we remain a part of the organizational machine and the existing structure. With creativity, we can alter our environment, make it better, and grow.
The novel coronavirus pandemic must be one of the strangest and most challenging experiences any of us have had. We have all had to adapt in the best way possible. I am writing this in September, half a year after the pandemic started for me, and it seems like a good time to evaluate my approach during the pandemic to see what I might learn from it.
I had minor surgery on March 12th, just days before our city shut down. Because it was my first surgery, thoughts of my recovery dominated my mind. Then, when we had to close our office and move to remote work on the following Monday, the surgery was overshadowed by the indefinite work-from-home order. In the span of two days, my life shifted to a fight for the basics of life: education for my girls, figuring out my household in this new environment, and scariest of all, what would happen to our company. That first week was filled with fear and survival-mode action.
I officially launched my blog over two years ago. Writing has been an unexpected path for me, full of trials and gifts. I write one blog entry a week around topics I find interesting or have found challenging as a business leader.
Along the way, I have also been experimenting with different types of material as I write. I started by writing about processes and systems and have moved to other topics such as productivity and overall company management. My articles have taught me and helped me clarify my ideas.