There has been so much going on in the world this year I actually forgot it was 2020. 2020, the year that we all planned for in 2000 and 2010. Vision 2020!! How many of us had aspirational goals for 2020? The world was going to be all robotic. Our businesses were going to be bigger and better than ever. The career and corporate dreams were going to be masterfully achieved.
And then, the crazy Leap Year, pandemic, election year, and social unrest have come storming through town. Did anyone in their SWOT analysis predict that we needed to plan for any of these Threats?
We start into the final half of the Vision 2020 plan. If you didn’t have “flexibility” and “resilient” in your Core Values, now is the time to pencil them in there. Or, sharpie them in there.
Darcy can speak to the Strategic Stretch we all need to do in this final leg of 2020 to plan for Vision 2030, but let me speak to a few things I am watching in the land of people and organizational development.
- Overcome the Fight, Flight or Freeze survival response.
When the world feels unpredictable, we want something to make sense. Our Fight, Flight or Freeze survival response kicks in and we go into our instinctive safety response mode. This is tough because so many of the things we are facing don’t have an easy response to create immediate change. For your organization, remind employees what they do have in their power. Reward short-term accomplishments. Celebrate wins with a disciplined approach.
- Get out of the Drama Triangle.
The Karpman Model defines our intrinsic pull to find someone to blame or save us when we feel victimized by someone or the events of the world. If I allow myself to feel like I am a victim to my circumstances, I look for someone to rescue me. “Get me out of this!” Karpman teaches that if we feel persecuted, we look for a rescuer. He continues to teach how the drama begins from here. If a perceived rescuer doesn’t save the victim, the victim gets angry at the person or system trying to help. (There are great videos and resources about this online.) The key here is to not allow yourself to be in a victim role. Talk to your leadership and ask for help. No victim, no drama.
- Hope Cures what ails us.
Our brains operate in tangent with our active mind. If you tell yourself “don’t forget my keys,” the brain has now heard the command to “forget your keys.” You mind is in charge of the thinking and processing function. When we actively think hopefully, see ourselves winning and achieving goals – we are empowering ourselves to win. Work with your team to Vision 2025 and help them work from the position of hope. Dream!