Change is the only constant…
It’s been a minute since we last spoke.
A lot of that is due to the fast-paced year (how is it May?!), and the other because there were so many topics on which to speak, I couldn’t do any one of them justice.
That said, I’m back and ready to dive in.
One thing that has resonated with me this past month has been related to my students and teaching at the University. 98% of my students are upper classmen and thus anxious to get going in their careers, and yet terrified that they are going to make a misstep – to which I say, “so what?!” We talked a lot about how your first job will likely not be your last, and I brought in a litany of guest speakers that helped support the conversation…as well as the fact that most of my speakers were not even in the same industry they originally studied! To say there was palpable relief in the room would be an understatement.
Failing forward as a concept may not be new, but it should have a renewed focus. Did any of these students plan on having to learn “how to learn virtually” the back half of their college career? Nope. Did any of them anticipate having to become proficient at zoom calls and any number of platforms in order to interview and find their first job? Not likely. But they did, and pivoted the best they could…by failing forward. It was either that, or do nothing (which if you met any of these students, you would immediately know that was not an option).
If this last year has taught us nothing else, it is that we should be willing to test theories, identify strengths, and pivot to meet those (new/perceived) needs. Flexibility and the ability to adapt are now the new skills required to succeed in this ever-transforming world – is your company or brand ready for them? Do you have your foundation built such that moving some things around won’t let your structure crumble, or do you need to start over?
Do yourself, and your brand, a favor. Take a beat and consider what your audience has been through, now identify how you can best help them and through what channels they will be listening. You do that, you will be pivoting as my students did; it may not be pretty at first, but you will wind up being better for it – or you can choose to do nothing and nothing will follow.
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Stay tuned for more from TCS next month!
Sarah Heximer, Owner & Chief Visionary Officer