Leading Change: It's Time to Pause

LEADING CHANGE: IT’S TIME TO PAUSE

The changing color of the leaves, the snow on the mountain peaks, and the brisk air reminded me today that it’s time to pause. Organizations, communities, and families have undergone a great deal of change, tough change, in the last year. The Wall Street implosion has been, and continues to be, hard for many. As leaders, we need to pause for just a moment and collectively acknowledge how hard it has been and reconnect with the hope and new beginnings as we get back on our feet together. Cut a ribbon together. Hold a barbecue together. Create an idea center (wiki page, suggestion box, whatever) where people can identify what they are most hopeful about in 2010. Do this together. Create an environment, together, where people construct new, positive, hopeful connections.

Come together and pause. Come together and acknowledge what has happened. Come together and symbolically let go and start anew.

Share you stories! What are your organizations, communities, and families doing to pause, reflect, and create hopeful new connections?